According to a survey report by the WHO, 9 cities out of the
list 10 most polluted cities in the world belong to India. Now that’s really
saying something! Imagine, we have been breathing nothing but toxic and poisonous
gas for quite some time now. Plus it doesn’t end there. Year on year, the issue
just multiplies manifold leaving us with a bunch of new respiratory and cardiac
ailments.
Soot, dust, toxic gases, particulate matter… you name it,and
we already have it in our system. So without mincing words, let’s just say, we
are literally gasping in this epically tragic air quality we live in.
Gone are the days when lung cancer and respiratory ailments
were reserved only for active and passive
smokers. Thanks to this never-ending saga of pollution, it is now free for all!
There has been a drastic increase in the number of lung cancer patients and
their age groups over the years.
While the situation has started improving with an increase in
awareness among people, some cities like Gaya and Kanpur have made new records
of having the worst pollution levels in the world. But now, we have an action
plan all set out by the government. We
now have a set target designed by the Government-aided National Clean Air
Program for bringing down the national pollution level.
What does it Mean to Us?
This five-year program is expected to decrease the prevalent
pollution levels by around 30% in 102 cities across India. If things go as
planned, we are looking at a more breathable and pollution-ridden environment. However,
the issue is that, while the strategies work, change in government, elections,
bureaucratic setbacks, and delays in implementation will prove to be
detrimental to the implementation.
Another aspect of this
is the fact that before initiating any action plan, the government has to look into its data collection systems and analyze
its credibility. Since the already computing systems are not that great,
this five-year plan is bound to have to pass some major hurdles before finally
getting some action.
What the Plan Lacks
While the five-year plan sounds progressive and positive,
what it lacks is a sector-wise setting of targets. After a decade of wait, we
are only looking at a 30% reduction target. This may include vehicular and
industrial emissions,but that’s not the
only means of pollution prevalent in the society right?
The funding is the other problem we have almost forgotten
here. This program would require a massive amount of funding. According to an
estimate, the government would need around $91million initially for the first
two years. While we have spent more for a statue, the more critical issues like
pollution control would like always take a back seat.
So what is the solution? Do we just wait for the government
to initiate and implement its plan? Not really. As a concerned citizen of the
country, each one of us have a role to
play in curbing pollution. How good would it
be if you as an individual can share real-time pollution insights and data to
the concerned department and team which focuses on the implementation of such policies? You can do that and more with our
portable air quality monitors. Designed to fit into your purse, this small device can help gauge
the air quality with precision and accuracy. This is data that can speed up our
5-year program right?
To check out air quality data use
Global Air Pollution. Do check this space for more on
air pollution.
