An Indian man living in Japan has drawn attention online after sharing a video of Tokyo’s clear blue skies and comparing them with Delhi. He argued that India’s capital could also become cleaner and more pleasant if greater efforts were made to tackle pollution and improve the surrounding environment.
In the Instagram video, Aum, who lives in Tokyo, showed viewers the skyline around him before questioning why Delhi could not have similarly clear skies.
‘Why isn't the sky like this in Delhi?’
“Guys, take a look at this video once. This is the sky of Tokyo. Meaning, where I live, the sky looks like this. And I was just thinking: why isn't the sky like this in Delhi? Now brother, you'll say, 'Well, there's population, this and that.' But actually, Tokyo's population is greater than Delhi's. Yet, they have maintained it like this. And I feel like we can do it too,” he said.
Aum then spoke about how some of his foreign friends perceive India, saying their impression is often centred around crowded and dusty places.
“Because a lot of people, like, I have made many foreign friends since moving here, they often ask me, 'Bro, what is India like? Isn't India like, you know, Delhi and Rajasthan, very crowded and dusty?' So I have to show them, 'No, look, India has Himachal; coastal areas are so beautiful; there is Kerala, the North East, places like Himachal.' Only then do they get convinced and their image, their perception, of India shifts slightly.”
{{/usCountry}}“Because a lot of people, like, I have made many foreign friends since moving here, they often ask me, 'Bro, what is India like? Isn't India like, you know, Delhi and Rajasthan, very crowded and dusty?' So I have to show them, 'No, look, India has Himachal; coastal areas are so beautiful; there is Kerala, the North East, places like Himachal.' Only then do they get convinced and their image, their perception, of India shifts slightly.”
{{/usCountry}}(Also read: 'Clear skies here, rain there': Founder captures Bengaluru's unpredictable weather in one view)
‘We can do it’
He added that making the national capital cleaner could not only improve everyday life for residents but also help change how visitors and people abroad perceive India.
“But bro, if we also make our capital this clean, with the sky looking beautiful, cleanliness everywhere, and a nice environment to walk around in... bro, and we can do it, I think. So we should work on it,” Aum said.
He shared the video with the caption, “Problem with Indian skies & pollution!”
Watch the clip here:
Social media reacts
The video prompted reactions from users who echoed his call for cleaner air and surroundings in Delhi. “Delhi can definitely do better,” one person wrote. Another remarked, “Clean air should not feel like a luxury.”
“Tokyo really sets a benchmark,” a third user commented, while another added, “Delhi deserves skies like this too.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)