Salma C.
How much of us think about a situation of buying an oxygen cylinder for breathing, like we buy bottled water for drinking.
Environment day 2019, came with the slogan Beat Air Pollution. This year’s Environment day was hosted by China, invited us all to beat air pollution, by considering about how we reduce the air pollution, and global warming and its effects on our own health.
In Indian contest air pollution is the most disturbing issue in all way. 13 of the world’s 20 cities with the highest annual levels of air pollution are in India. In urban areas most emissions come from vehicles and industries, where as in rural area, root of the pollution is the biomass burning for cooking and the waste burning. Dust and construction contribute about 45% to the air pollution in India.
What is the condition of the air in our capital city? Previous year Delhi faced a harmful situation of air pollution with smog in atmosphere, it prevents not only the smooth breathing but also the sight of our eyes. Motor vehicle emission is one of causes of poor air quality. And Badurpur thermal power station, a coal fired power plant built in 1973 is another major source of air pollution in Delhi. In spite of producing 8% of the electric power it produces 80% to 90% of the pollutants. Burning wood, cow dung and coal for cooking, crop residue burning and fire in Bhalswa land fill etc. also causes to air pollution in Delhi.
2.2 million children were suffering from lung damage in Delhi. And research shows that pollution can lower immune system and increase the risk of cancer. This harmful situation makes the odd-even rule in Delhi. In this rule private vehicles will be allowed to run across city based on their registration numbers. This scheme has been used by different cities across globe to deal with the air pollution. It attempts to control the number of vehicles on the road on the basis of the number plate, it help to reduce vehicle emission with a limit.
India has a low per-capita emissions of greenhouse gases. But in 2013, a study among the non-smokers has found that Indians have 30% lower lung function than Europeans. The poor waste management system in India mainly causes to air pollution in India. Burning non organic trashes emit CFC and benzene etc. to the air. It causes cancer.
Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act passed in 1981 to regulate air pollution and there are some measurable improvements. After the Delhi issue, many rules and regulations were launched to reduce the private vehicles, reduction in households using solid fuel for cooking etc.
Sometimes we can’t even see it, but air pollution is everywhere. We think air pollution doesn’t affect us. We aren’t living in such a big industrial cities surrounded with smog. Statistically air pollution is the reason to 1 in 9 deaths.
We can’t live without breathing. Hence we have to protect our air. We ourselves are the reason for air pollution. So, we should be the one who find a solution for it, through some of our actions. Composting waste, recycling non organic trash, reusing plastics, never burn trash are some ways to reduce air pollution. Using public vehicles, heating systems for cooking, turning off lights and electronics not in use, using roof solar panels, and adopting national air quality standards that meet WHO guidelines for a better air and better tomorrow.
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