Battling post-Diwali smog: Air masks go out of stock in Gurgaon

Iss sheher ko yeh hua kya? Kahin aag hai kahin dhuan dhuan.” These lines from the anti-smoking ad that is played before every film seems to perfectly describe the city’s present situation. Contrary to what Billy Joel said, we did start the fire this Diwali, and are now paying the price. The smog that has covered all of NCR for the last one week has Gurgaonwallahs worried not just about the poor visibility on the road, but also for the well-being of their lungs.As a result, anti-pollution masks are very much in demand these days, so much so that these masks have gone out of stock in most shops.
Masks sold out across Gurgaon
Given the poor air quality since Diwali, masks have been flying off the shelves and most stores have run out of them, leaving many residents gasping and wheezing. Manu Kalra, a resident of Nirvana Country and director at one of the ‘Big Four’ professional service firms, says, "Recently, I went to buy an anti-pollution mask, but only found the surgical ones. When I asked the shopkeeper for the better quality ones that have air filters, he said that those are out of stock. I eventually bought an N95 mask for `350, and have asked friends where I can buy a better one."
Jatinder Sawhney, who is in the construction industry and has to drive around a lot, has been unwell since Diwali. His teenage son was also having breathing problems. "Most chemist shops in Gurgaon do not have sophisticated masks. Luckily, a neighbour had ordered several masks of N99 rating from a reputed brand, thinking that others would also need them. Thanks to her thoughtfulness, I was able to get masks for my family and myself,” says the DLF Phase V resident, and adds, “The surgical ones are available for `150-`750, but the more advanced ones with valves cost around `2,500. Had I not got the masks from my neighbour, I would have ordered them online, but that would have taken a few days to reach."
Other residents say that the absence of these masks in most stores in Gurgaon means they have to order them online. With the estimated delivery time being 8-10 days, their lungs are left vulnerable to the toxic air. Businessman Praveen Sharma, a resident of Sector 56, says, "I checked with a number of medical stores and hospitals, but they all only had the normal surgical masks, which are only useful for a few days. I even asked my friends in Delhi to procure a more high-end mask for me, but they told me that the situation there is the same as in Gurgaon. I have finally ordered masks online, but that will take a week to be delivered. Meanwhile, main regular masks se kaam chala raha hoon."
Anti-pollution masks with air filters and N99 rating cost anywhere between `1,800 and `2,500, and come in various designs and colours. They also have one or two valves that allow the user to breathe out effectively, and claim to stop over 99% of pollutants.
A thick layer of smog covers Gurgaon (BCCL)
Even replenishing stocks thrice a day is not enough, say sellers
While masks come in all sizes and styles, Gurgaonwallahs are not being too choosy, as stocks are limited. Sellers say that when customers don’t find masks of their size, they are not averse to buying some other size, because something is better than nothing. A salesperson at a pharmacy in South City 1, says, "Har din stock khatam ho ja raha hai, itni demand hai Diwali ke baad se. People are not being too choosy and taking whatever is available. We are trying our best to provide customers with the best products available."
Jai Dhar Gupta, owner of Nirvana Being, the official sellers of Vogmask in India, says that in Delhi, the post-Diwali period has been the busiest for them. "From 11am onwards, when the store opens, to late in the evening when we shut shop, we have a steady stream of customers coming in to buy masks. The demand is so high that we finish our stocks by the middle of the day. We’ve finished half of our available stock in the country in one single day – on November 2. On that day, we had to replenish stocks at our Khan Market store three times, yet several people had to leave without buying a mask," he tells us.
Bulk orders contributing to shortage: manufacturers
Mask manufacturers say that the increased demand is not just due to increased anxiety and fear, but also due to reduced hesitation to wearing these masks in public. Vibhor Jain, CEO of Atlantis Healthcare, manufacturers of Cambridge Masks, says, "Till last year, mask sales were driven by expats, and there was a general resistance or hesitation among the public about using them – this has disappeared this year. Although it is still too early to gauge what the exact percentage of increase is, the sales of these masks have increased by three-four times, compared to last year."
Another factor that has led to these masks selling out so quickly, as per the manufacturers, is the sudden increase in bulk orders. Gupta says, "This year, we are getting bulk orders as well (orders of over a hundred masks). It’s mainly the embassies and high commissions that are ordering masks by the hundreds for the safety of their staff and families. So our stocks are being sold more quickly than we had anticipated."