ASSOCHAM-Reckitt Benckiser Launch Campaign to Raise Awareness of Air Pollution

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) is collaborating with global consumer product company Reckitt Benckiser and the Government of Punjab to launch a massive, year-long campaign aimed at raising public awareness on air pollution caused by burning crop residue in the state.

With a view to make room for the winter crop, an estimated 35-mt of paddy is set afire in Punjab and Haryana alone, which contributes up to 60% of Delhi’s air pollution, thereby aggravating and triggering respiratory diseases.

ASSOCHAM and Reckitt Benckiser will set up 50 camps and use other outreach activities target over two lakh people including farmers, students and other stakeholders viz., government, community, industry, media and others in 95 villages of Punjab’s Patiala district as part of the campaign, which will go on till January 2019 in a phase manner.

The campaign was launched in Patiala on May 18 by Punjab Health Minister Mr. Brahm Mohindra in presence of top state officials like Punjab Pollution Control Board chairman Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu, Patiala divisional commissioner Mr. V. K. Meena, Dr. Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, Punjab Agriculture University.

The major objective of conducting the campaign is to spread awareness about hazards of crop residue burning and promote alternate solutions through co-operation and networking with peer groups, different agencies, organisations and individuals to improve ambient air quality in the region. While promoting awareness and practice through behaviour change communication activities, participation and role of panchayats, corporate, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are certain other key objectives of this campaign.

A joint team comprising representatives from both ASSOCHAM and Reckitt Benckiser will organise street plays, use art to raise community awareness, and paint walls with slogans about health hazards of air pollution owing to stubble burning. They will also conduct three workshops, come out with helpline numbers, mobile apps to resolve queries and release three studies to ascertain the impact of the campaign.