People shame and blame Delhi's residents for this disaster as if they were solely responsible, but like it or not, we're all in this together

I dared to venture out of my Delhi apartment for the first time on Wednesday evening, after landing in from Mumbai on Monday morning. I popped into a Fortis health store in Green Park, en route to a friend's house and decided to experiment with a RespoKare mask, which, at Rs 399, was among the most affordable and seemed like a good option for my maid and for the sabjiwalas and garbage collectors in my area who have been going about their daily routine unable to breathe, yet unarmed to deal with Delhi's alarming and continually rising pollution levels. I had to cast aside my anger at the callous use of plastic packaging for a pollution mask, surely there were more eco-friendly options. The chemist helped me open the packet so he could tell me about the white dot that had to be stuck to the mask's surface. When it turned brown, it meant it was time to change the mask. This was Wednesday, 8.30 pm. Not even 12 hours have passed and yet, that dot is already half brown after this morning's brief outdoor exposure. It looks as though I may have to buy a Vog mask after all, since it is more durable, albeit more expensive. It irks me that the people living in the basti neighbouring my colony can't, in all likelihood, afford to do the same, nor can they afford an air purifier.