The Chennai water crisis has been a wake-up call for many Indians. Those of us who lived somewhere comfortably between “sab chalta hai” and “jugaad” are now a seriously conflicted lot, worried about the future of the planet. If this spurs us into action, eco-anxiety might not be such a bad thing.

Do my dreams of hopping on airplanes to visit places across the world nullify all my efforts to save something for my child? The more I think about it, the more I realise that this question sums up the reality with which I raise my son. I beat my chest about raising temperatures while making sure he is indoors, cooled down by the running air conditioner.

Comparisons have been drawn between Cyclone Fani and a superstorm of a similar scale that struck in 1999. The super-cyclone, sometimes referred to as Cyclone Paradip, hit Odisha and caused the deaths of almost 10,000 people, making it one of the worst natural disasters recorded in Indian history.

From inaugurations of events like the IPL to star-crossed lovers in our films staring dreamily into the distance as the sky lights up with fireworks, we’re hostage to the belief that no celebrations are complete until a few rockets have been fired into the night sky.

In Delhi, winter is now the time of difficult breathing. The throat itches, the eyes water, the nostrils hurt. A city that lends itself so well to the outdoors forces everyone to stay indoors with windows shut tight.

Delhi’s parks have often served as a haven for those marginalised by the city’s many problems – space, pollution, and security. To some, the park is just that stretch of earth that doesn’t smell of burnt rubber. To some, it’s the only place where they can take a deep breath without worrying about the air quality index.

Not only do Indians have an astonishing lack of civic sense, we can also counter it with classic whataboutery. India will continue to top lists of dirtiest cities in the world, until we teach the next generation to pick up after themselves, instead of posing with brooms on social media.