Delhiites turn homes into green lungs to breathe clean

As the national Capital continues to grapple with alarming levels of pollution, indoor plants have come as a saviour for city residents who are turning their homes into nurseries to combat deteriorating air quality. 

For this time of the year, special air-purifying plants that may provide a valuable weapon in the fight against rising levels of indoor air pollution are the popular choices for their properties.

According to horticulturists, anti-pollutant plants may not be the solution to the perennial problem of pollution the national Capital faces at the onset of winter every year, they are useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air inside homes. Delhi-based Shabnam Singh who runs a nursery in Sainik Farms says, "Indoor anti-pollutant plants absorb some of the particulates from the air at the same time that they take in carbon dioxide, which is then processed into oxygen through photosynthesis. Sansevieria or the snake plant, also known as mother-in-law tongue, weeping fig, ficus robusta, ficus alii are some of the highest ranking houseplants. They remove formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, airborne biological pollutants, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, pesticides and disinfectants (phenols), and radon in the air. Evergreen varieties like money plant, areca palm, peace lily, also called spathiphyllum are providing a breath of clean air to Delhiites. While areca palm removes major indoor air pollutants like acetone, xylene, and toluene, peace lily is an effective purifier that cleanses the air of common indoor pollutants generated by furniture, electronics and cleaning products," she says.

These plants are also scoring brownie points for their low maintenance. "They grow very well in a closed environment and require basic nurturing and maintenance. They survive the most unsuitable growing conditions and neglect a plant could receive," Singh informs. She, however, cautions that plants are not magic wands. "We cannot put one plant in a room and expect the environment to change overnight. We should have clusters of plants. For instance, in a hundred square foot space you need to have minimum three plants to get the desired result," she suggests.