By Seema Khan
Given the amount of pollution in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, and other big cities in India, a concerning question is; are these places fit for human habitation?
Delhi, the capital of India has been diagnosed as one of the highest polluted cities in the world by various agencies that have conducted studies on its air quality.
Because this is a question of human survival, it should have been the topic of debate on India’s TV channels, news papers, Parliament, and among the think tanks. Unfortunately, none are giving this issue the importance and urgency it deserves.
Discussions, if any, have been limited to controlling pollution and improving the quality of air.
A recent study has revealed that air pollution in Delhi is responsible for 10,000 to 30,000 deaths annually.
Joshuna Apte from university of Taxes and Julian Marshall from university of Minnesota, Michael Braves from university of British Colombia and Dr Aaron Cohen from Health Effects Institute, have said that approximately one death per hour is claimed by air pollution in India. According to these researchers; air pollution in India has claimed a lot more lives than terrorists’ guns.
In December 14 CSE has classified Delhi as severely polluted on 65% of days. Air quality came to hazardous level in some areas of the national capital, with a composite mixture of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide particulate pollution of 999 on June 13, 2018.
Severe air pollution across the city means 24 hours of average levels of PM 2.5 - a fine particulate matter 30 times finer than human hair, are known to pose great risk to humans over 250 micrograms per cubic metre of air, causing respiratory impact on healthy people, and very severe impact on people with heart and lungs diseases.
WHO standards for permissible levels of PM 2.5 in the air (24 hour) average is 25ug/mc, while India’s national ambient air quality standard is 60 ug/mc. Delhi has these measures 30 times higher than WHO guide lines.
In last few years; several public health emergency were declared by Indian medical association in Delhi when air quality index breached 999, which is same as smoking 50 cigarettes a day. Schools were closed for days and people were advised to remain indoors.
Its mind boggling when we start looking at the types of pollution in Delhi. There is dust pollution, noise pollution, light pollution, water pollution, visual pollution, littering pollution, plastic pollution, radiation pollution from mobile towers, insoluble waste pollution, industrial pollution, and so on. When it came to pollution; Delhi topped the list, followed by Varanasi, Gaya, and Faridabad.
In 2014 WHO studies; 1600 cities in the world with most toxic air; Indian capital was listed with maximum concentration of micro particles PM2.5.
Out of 20 most polluted cities in the world 10 are in India with capital at the top.
As India makes economic development a priority, pollution is bound to increase, and with noting done to solve the pollution problem, about 660 million Indians may loose 3 years of their life, because of the air they breathe. In Delhi; they loose 6 years.
Heart patients, asthma and lung patients are under severe stress. Breathing problems, burning in the eyes, cough and chest tightness, are very common symptoms among people of ages.
What we are breathing in Delhi is a cocktail of poisonous pollutants - all hazardous. A longer exposure to this environment can also trigger cancer.
Children are having inflammation in lower respiratory areas, leading to more of bronchitis and asthma.
Delhi is facing several challenges from environmental pollution. Conversion into CNG and banning of fire crackers have not made much of a difference. Delhi comes under a blanket of smoke, after crop burning in Punjab and Haryana, forcing schools to shut down and while people remain indoors. Expanding the metro has also not helped much.
With such huge levels of air pollution, water pollution and acute water shortage, high levels of noise, traffic chaos, adulterated milk, and food, the big question arises ‘IS DELHI STILL FIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION’.
China was heavily covered with smog reeling with severe pollution. A red alert was declared and a five year plan was established, which is reducing the pollution.
Between 2012 and 2017 there has been a 30% reduction in china’s pollution, with their clean air policy being taken on war footing.
Singapore also had similar problem. They too tackled it effectively.
Netherlands had done wonders in this field. Don Roseguard had designed an award winning smog free tower which takes away the bad air and provides fresh air.
One problem with India is that pollution is not even recognised as a national problem. There are no time bound efforts in place. Few adhoc efforts are being made, but a time bound plan is seriously lacking.
In April 2018; the environment ministry made a draft National clean air programme. Though it should be appreciated that it has recognised the problem, no serious remedial work is planned.
Renewable energy should be a priority.
With pollution claiming a bigger and increasing toll on human lives, political parties should make it an election agenda.
Policy Makers should no longer ignore this. Environment and development ministries should work together to tackle the menace.
And if they don’t, can someone declare Delhi unfit for human habitation !
*Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of UMMnews.
