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Air pollution alarming

Kashmir Times. Dated: 7/25/2015 3:05:48 PM

Increased air pollution in urban centres has already started taking a heavy toll human lives which needs to be reversed for the next generations

The increased pollution in the air particularly in the urban centres including metropolitan cities has sent alarm bells ringing for the people but the governments in different parts of India do not appear to have been woken up from their deep slumber on this issue. The recent studies show that a little less than 100 persons are dying due to increased air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) around New Delhi alone on daily basis has forced the residents to think about the pollutant emission from the power stations and vehicles. Apart from this, there has been increase in air pollution due to a number of factors that have been responsible for producing smoke that is dangerous for the average health of the human in the national capital. The situation on air pollution in other cities of India particularly the urban centres that are developing in rest of the country during the past few decades. New Delhi has been chosen as a sample test for measuring pollutant emission from all sources of energy generation to movement of vehicular traffic for catering to the needs of commuters because of the fact that there has been hike in pollution levels since the first tests were conducted during the past two decades. In fact, the checking of pollution levels started in New Delhi when a lot of hue and cry was made over the quality of air people breath in mid-1990s when planning was being put in place to reduce the pollutant emission in the larger interest of the society. It is heartening to note that more than 80 persons lose their lives in Delhi due to poor quality of air and respiratory problems, which are quite high compared to other ailments caused by different factors including the genetic disorders or cancer, which are curable under the present available medical treatments. But prevention being considered as better than cure, concerns have been time and again raised over pollution of air in Delhi over this period and it has been on the rise during the past two decades or so. Despite improvement in the commuter services particularly removal of old vehicles and their replacement with technologically better vehicles, the level of pollution has not seen any decline.
Apart from this, there have also been concerns over increase in pollutant emissions from different sources in whole India despite the fact that carbon emission has been much lower compared to the international standards that are governing the national averages of different countries around the globe. The lower carbon emission and rating of about 2.2 in India compared to over 6.0 in US and some other nations does not mean that Indians should go on increasing the pollutant emission because they are well below the threatening levels to human populations. In fact, India being a developing country has to bear in mind through policy planning and future introduction of better technologies for reducing the carbon emission in the interest of its citizens. In some of the metropolitan cities, the pollutant emission like Delhi has already reached threatening level where it is harming and taking a heavy toll on the life of the citizens. Some of the new urban centres are already facing the threat of poisonous levels being very high compared to its surrounding areas. That does not mean that since the over pollution of air not very high, so there should lesser fear. Since the suspended particles in polluted air that threaten humans is very high in some of the urban centres, the children are worst affected because of the high presence of dangerous particles up to four feet from the ground. This is the main reason that every third or fourth child in Delhi has developed some sort of allergies to pollution in air and respiratory disorders. The governments needs to begin planning for the alternate ways and means for reducing the pollution levels in the future with introduction of pollution free transport services and increasing the breathing spaces in the major cities so that a balance is maintained to check increase in air pollution. More the green cover, better it is for the future generations in the urban centres. At least quality of life of the citizens will be the gauge for the health of the nation.