Air pollution causes irreversible damage to our bodies, and the Lungs Billboard is a very effective tool to drive the issue home among lay citizens as well as decision makers. The installation depicts human lungs retrofitted with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters and two fans that mimic breathing and has been conceptualized to demonstrate the impact of air pollution.
At the beginning of the installation the color of the lungs is white (symbolizing healthy lungs) which then over a few days starts to change color to gray and then eventually black.
The billboard also displays the Air Quality Index (AQI) and its interpretation. Air Quality Index is a number falling within a particular range that is arrived at by taking into account the presence of major pollutants in the air. The monitor fitted on the billboard displays the AQI of the pollutant PM 2.5.
The installation was set up in a public space first in Bangalore in January 2018 and then in two locations in Delhi in November 2018. Since then, it has been installed in Nagpur, Bangalore, Mumbai and Chandrapur. It was then brought to Pune by Parisar, and it is the first city where the municipal corporation collaborated for the initiative.
After a very good response from the Pune citizens and organisations, Parisar collaborated with the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and installed the Billboard for a duration of one month at the Pimpri Chowk, outside the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Udyan in the month of January 2023.
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The board was unveiled by Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh, in the presence of Environment Officer Sanjay Kulkarni, Pulmonologist Dr. Deepali Gaikwad, Parisar Team, other officials of PCMC, representatives of several organisations and citizens of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Dr. Gaikwad gave an in-depth understanding of how pollutants affect the body and the range of diseases it causes across all age groups.
The Commissioner and Environment Officer acknowledged the importance of spreading awareness about the issue in order to be able to take effective measures to mitigate pollution. Artists from the Nilu Phule Kala Academy performed a folk song “Bharud” on air pollution during the inauguration.
Informative standees were placed next to the billboard which mentioned why everyone should be concerned about air pollution, the kinds of pollutants, their sources, how pollution is measured, and how it can be reduced.
Several stakeholders including employees from STP plants, hawkers and vendors from Kashtakari Panchayat, staff from the PCMC’s sanitation department, members of Swach and the Green Army Pimpri Chinchwad, and passers-by visited the installation.
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The Billboard had turned a dark grey in just 20 days and the extent of pollution became easily palpable.
First Day of Installation
Last Day of Installation
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