The health effects of air pollution imperil human lives
In its worst spell of importunate pollution in nearly two decades, the Capital’s air quality slipped into the hazardous level
Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit
Today in the name of development urbanization and industrialization is taking place hastily. This type of fast development is a problem rather than a solution for human misery. It echoes the grave concern of each and every urban living Indian. The unplanned and haphazard urbanisation is the root cause for all the pollution related problems and it is escaping our attention.
The green building movement is an attempt to minimize and eliminate negative impacts and maximize environmental, economic and community/human benefits. Constructing green buildings effectively reduce air pollution through reduced energy use, the use of appropriate refrigerants, and the use of materials with low off-gassing and other steps.
The reduction in use of fossil fuels at the building site also results in lower air pollution contributions at the site, while reduction in electricity use results in lower air pollution associated with power plants. It is clear that if a builder is constructing a green building, he can jump the queue waiting for an environmental clearance. The release of gaseous pollutants from burning fuel of motor vehicles, industrial processes, burning of garbage, etc are contributing to the air pollution.
In its worst spell of importunate pollution in nearly two decades, the Capital’s air quality slipped into the ‘hazardous’ level. It reveals that the levels of air pollution remained “severe”, the highest warning as per the National Air Quality Index. India comes just behind China – which witnessed an estimated 800,000 deaths – says the study, which relied on mathematical modeling to arrive at its figures.
A number of occupational and environmental factors are also associated with an increased incidence of lung cancer. Emergency measures have to be put in place. People with heart or lung diseases, older adults, and children are to be advised to remain indoors and keep activity levels low. Vehicle density is too much in Delhi and the traffic jam is the main culprit for the ambient air quality deterioration. It is callous and irresponsible on the part of the Delhi government, which hasn’t told its people that the air quality is so bad that they should not step outside to exercise or allow their children to play. The air pollution is increasing due to indiscriminate industrialisation.
As far as addressing the issue of air pollution is concerned, the authorities are more at fault for not devising and implementing proper system for disposing off the waste generated. Everybody has a right to clean air. Planting trees in every corner is essential to improve the quality of the air. The strategy should focus on stop the pollution and improve the quality of air.
It’s not just the big cities in India which are choking children with its bad air. Around the world, one billion children live in homes where solid fuel is used for cooking and heating — a vital cause of indoor pollution.
Nearly 6 lakh children under the age of five are estimated to die every year from diseases caused or exacerbated from indoor and outdoor pollution. Globally, an estimated 2,000 children under the age of five die every day from diarrheal diseases and of these some 1,800 deaths are linked to water, sanitation and hygiene. Children are also exposed to harmful chemicals through food, water, air and products around them. Air pollution also increases the lifelong risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. We need to make people aware that their activities should not release more emission when our air is already so polluted. It is to be remembered that every child is important. Every child has the right to health, the right to survive, the right to a future that is as good as we can make it,
(The writer is based in Ahmadabad)
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