The Indian government should declare an MSP for residual crop stubble (Parali) …. and supply it for cattle feed, biogas, biodiesel, organic fertilizer, and paper pulp production.
EVEN SAFE AIR IS NOT FREE ANYMORE: Well-known tech entrepreneur and longevity researcher Bryan Johnson recently commented on his shocking experience with Mumbai, India’s air pollution. “Nobody’s wearing a mask…they’re exercising in this air pollution.” Governments in Delhi and elsewhere offer free electricity, water, grains, and monthly dole but fail to fight pollution. Air pollution denies us the only free resources we have: air, sunlight, and rainwater as it blocks sunlight and pollutes the rainwater. Every winter, the area from Punjab to western UP becomes a toxic gas chamber that disrupts travel and logistics due to poor visibility. Residents of Delhi NCR and many other cities are forced to use N95 masks outdoors and expensive air purifiers with HEPA filters indoors, powered by electricity from diesel or coal-burning power plants, contributing to air pollution and trapping them in a vicious cycle. Meanwhile, as per a recent report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), seven out of the 13 cities in India currently ranking in the ‘Good’ AQI category are in Karnataka, three in Tamil Nadu, two in Kerala and one in Mizoram. So it is possible to have safe air in India.
CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION: Natural causes include dust storms, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions. Human sources include transportation, refineries, mining and chemical industries, power plants and industrial facilities that burn fossil fuels, agricultural and household activities burning wood, bio-waste, and garbage. Decomposing bio-waste and sewage also pollute the air. Common pollutants are Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur dioxide, methane, ozone-a major constituent of photochemical smog, particulate matter, lead, Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene and formaldehyde from solvents, aerosols, etc., Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and dioxins. Air quality and greenhouse gas emissions are closely linked to the earth’s climate and ecosystems globally. Hence air pollution control is essential for both our climate and health.
HAZARDS OF AIR POLLUTION: Air pollution is the world’s fourth-largest risk factor for early death. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified air pollution as a human carcinogen. 99% of the world’s population breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants. Outdoor and household air pollution is associated with 6.7 million premature deaths annually. Smog irritates the eyes and throat, damages the lungs, and triggers asthma attacks. Air pollution can cause swelling of the airways, decrease lung function, increase the response to allergens, and mental depression. Fine airborne particulate matter (PM 2.5) can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead to heart attacks, and hasten death. Lead poisoning from paint particles, welding fumes, etc. can severely affect mental and physical development in children and leads to anaemia and headaches, stomach cramps, constipation, muscle and joint pain, sleeping trouble, fatigue, irritability, and loss of sex drive in adults. Many PAHs, VOCs, and Dioxins are potent carcinogens and are toxic to various vital and reproductive organs, even at very low exposure levels. The adverse effects depend on the type of pollutant, the length and level of exposure, and other factors, including a person’s comorbid health risks. Dust also chokes plants and hence our oxygen supply.
PREVENTION OF URBAN AIR POLLUTION: Air pollution can be prevented by each of us by stopping smoking, reducing the use of fossil fuels, using cleaner fuels like gas or renewable energy sources, biking, walking, or using public transportation instead of polluting vehicles. We can conserve energy by turning off lights and appliances when not in use. We should stop burning garbage, fallen leaves, and garden waste, and instead segregate and compost or recycle it properly. A sustainable healthy lifestyle is good for our health, wealth, and environment. Industries should use green energy, efficient manufacturing, waste treatment, and pollution-trapping equipment in furnaces and incinerators to reduce pollutants at the source. Governments should encourage industries to provide renewable energy, biofuels, and biodegradable chemicals from renewable sources to replace fossil fuels and petrochemicals. The construction industry should be encouraged to use prefabricated structures to reduce the formation and release of dust. Municipalities should provide non-polluting, affordable, efficient public transport and enhance road maintenance and cleanliness to reduce dust pollution.
FARM AND FOREST FIRES: Farmers burn bio-waste as they see no value in it and use up free oxygen in the air. The Indian government should declare an MSP (Minimum support price) for residual crop stubble (Parali) and bio-waste, set up a system for mechanical harvesting, and supply it for cattle feed, biogas, biodiesel, organic fertilizer, and paper pulp production. To prevent fires, forest services with volunteers should clear the ground of leaves before the dry season, prune and remove dead wood, create safe campsites, put up lighting conductors on fire watch towers, and create fuel breaks of up to 200 meters in width to split up forested areas. Rock walls and windbreaks can help in certain geographies. As practiced in Japan, heat sensor-activated sprinklers can douse fires and protect wildlife and property.
SAFE AIR ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE: Clean oxygen-rich air is essential for good health. Air pollution affects everyone and denies us the basic human right to safe air and a long healthy life. Air pollution crosses boundaries like forest fires in Indonesia causing smog over Singapore. Global warming caused by greenhouse gases has led to rising sea levels that flood coastal cities and island nations. It has also led to extreme weather and climate event
Dr. P.S.Venkatesh Rao is Consultant Endocrine, Breast & Laparoscopic Surgeon, Bengaluru.