Since November 2017 ,Delhites face a gas chamber like situation ,struggling to catch a breath of fresh air .The smog that built by burning of crop remains in neighbouring states has only added fuel to the fire .The city has its own challenges of air pollution  -construction sites creating dust  ,irresponsible garbage disposal ,burning of mountains of collective garbage ,pollution caused by vehicles and so on .

Despite the media and activists ,environmentalists shooting from rooftops and making polite moves with the authorities -nothing moved as yet .The NGT is still struggling to get a solution from the state !Health of the citizens is doomed as allergies and cancers ,lung diseases are in for a rise . The odd even never got implemented .The cricket match between India and Srilanka had cricketers playing with masks !! What a shame -time someone solved the Maze of the Haze !!

Minister in Maharashtra ,Mr Girish Mahajan made a sexist remark about how the sales of liquor can be boosted by naming it after a woman !! He made these crud and ugly remarks at a meeting with ample audience and got away with it !

Only after women activists forced an apology out of him ,did he apologise .

The media has brought this issue to the forefront ,while his government still defends as Ms Shaina calls it a” mere slip of tongue ‘on the News X  tv debate ! We are ashamed to have a woman  supporting this derogatory behaviour and defending him .On panel ,got an opportunity to share the feelings of  women across the world regarding such sexist comments .

As a panelist on a debate  regarding the highlighting of Mr Bala’s nude cartoon issue , sidelining and camouflaging what the real challenge was ,I am ashamed to be part of such a democracy !

Cartoonist Bala is being harassed for an expression of what he thought was a serious issue of the authorities negligence on preventing the collective  suicide by  a farmer and his family .Who is answerable for these deaths ?

The value of human life is zero and we are struggling with’ defamation ‘here !!

Let us  kill the real issues so that we may invest our energies on trivial things .

Finally a PIL filed by me regarding saving the Kedarnath Wildlife sanctuary’s flora and fauna from noise and air pollution caused by helicopters ferrying pilgrims to Kedarnath shrine has found a voice !!

The NGT and Uttarakhand government are now speeding up their  reports and we soon wish to see that the environment is safe and the proposed ropeway will facilitate darshan of the shrine .

My NGO Tree For Life salutes the Supreme Court Decision on banning of cracker sale this Diwali in order to cut down air pollution due to bursting of crackers .

Last November ,post Diwali ,Delhi faced the”  killer smog ‘when schools and offices were shut and life came to a standstill as the air to breathe was so toxic ,one could not step out without a mask ! Active on the streets ,I have witnessed this first hand .Too many health issues cropped up and hospitals were flooded with asthma ,skin ,eyes ,nose ,throat allergies and increased lung diseases and cancer patients .

Let us give a hand to the government and bring about a change this time .

Yes , better implementation would have been to warn the cracker sellers so that they would not invest money and have a wasted stock !!

When we empower our women ,fifty percent of the population is empowered !!

In India,we call it the Adhi-Abadi ! One such motivational and inspirational workshop was conducted at Pullman hotel .The workshop,conducted by Social worker ,Environmentalist and President NGO Tree For Life -Kavita Ashok brought a positive note to the value system and thought process to the women present !

How women create a work life balance ,what are their challenges at workplace and how can one bring about harmony in career ,mind ,body and soul was the crux of the event .The Corporate sector women have their own challenges an hurdles ,a lot was shared heart to heart with the mentor by the lady staff members of the corporate world .

Women empowerment is not merely a term ,its a thought process which is seeing the light of the day by our joint efforts ! India marches  to  a bright future when women move hand in hand with men .

A book on women from all walks of life – excelling ,struggling to make their mark ,entrepreneurs ,pioneers in their fields !! Such a wonderful compilation of these successful women was brought together by Shalini Kochar in her coffee table book ,launched in Delhi .

I am humbled to  be featured in the book  along with Princess Diya Kumari ,Shehnaz Hussain ,Janis Darbari ,Raveena Tandon ,Sonali Bendre ,Shilpa Shetty ,Sonal  Mansinghji ,maestros from music,sports ,social work ,education and corporate world .

My gratitude to all, whose wishes are bringing laurels to my commitment to the environment and health sector .I wish to serve the nation even more diligently and with greater passion !!