India’s war against pollution

India comes in the bottom five countries on the Environmental Performance Index 2018 and while it is at the bottom in environmental health category, it ranks 178 from 180 in air quality index.

According to the air pollution index 7 of the worst 10 cities in air pollution are from India, with 22 of the worst 30.

The most toxic and polluted city on the whole earth is Gurugram, situated about 30 kilometres southwest of New Delhi. 

The next four cities are sub regions of Delhi including Noida,Ghaziabad and Faridabad making Delhi most polluted capital on the earth. Patna,Bhiwadi and Lucknow with Faisalabad and Lahore in Pakistan, and Hotan in China, are among the other worst 10.

The air pollution hit its lowest last year with chocking air quality and irritation in eyes and restlessness reported by people in Delhi.While different policies have been made to curb the menace,no concrete policy has been to tackle the situation effectively. Air quality has improved with 157 Air quality index but it is still the worst. 

Mainly unplanned industrialisation and non - sustainable development has been two major causes of the toxic air .

Air pollution is known to be an insidious killer. Every time one inhales this air,microscopic particles are drawn into body in lungs through trachea and this cause cancers,strokes,asthma and other diseases. Air pollution is harmful for not only to human health but the economy also. Globally around 7 million premature deaths occur annually and life expectancy is reduced by an average of 1.8 years.Thus Interestingly it is now more toxic and dangerous than smoking. The financial cost is estimated for around $225 billion for lost labour and trillions of dollars in healthcare.

According to  World Bank air pollution can cost India an equivalent of the 8.5% of GDP and deteriorating situation in coming years.

India’s government has launch a new National Clean Air Programme and Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan calling it a “war on pollution”. It aims for reducing particulate pollution by 20 to 30% in coming five years, with national initiatives and specific measures according to individual cities.