India is facing a severe pollution threat with daily average figure crossing the “severe” or even “Hazardous” marks a set by WHO.
Unfortunately, no one seems to care as this ghostly poisonous air engulfs us in a deathly hug. Every day a bit tighter.
Every year we see the rising curve of pollution in India, especially in a growing metropolis like Gurgaon where I live. Last October immediately after the festival of Diwali I woke up to the nightmare of what we call “smog”. A deadly mixture of smoke and fog which settles down over mother earth. This was exasperated by the overnight bursting of tons of crackers and the industry which spews venom in for of smoke, completely unchecked. This is when I decided to pick up my mobile phone and go around the city shooting images which could capture the extent and the mood of this catastrophe. I wanted to document this to highlight the extent damage is being down.
Having said that, the photographer in me also wanted to capture the irony of seeing beautify even within the disturbing haze created by this smog. I was looking for silence and the starkness which emerges when such a shroud of death descends over a city. I wanted to ensure I can smell the dust and feel the burning in my eyes when these image stand in front me. This is my way of documenting the damage we are doing to our environment.
About Zahir Abbas
Zahir is based out of Gurgaon, India. He is a business consultant by profession and loves to spend all his free time making candid photographs (Street photographs) as a mean to satisfy his urge to express and as a mean to connect. He is attracted towards forms, mystery and starkness. He prefers gritty over pretty while shooting an image. Street photography is a challenge which he loves as it has all the thrills of exploration.
