India’s Air act of 1981 does not prioritize reducing the impact of pollution on people’s health.
The national capital has entered the public health emergency category after the AQI level crossed 500 making it a ‘Gas Chamber’. It has forced the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority to shut down the schools, health issues among children and adults have increased, anti-pollution masks have been distributed in school but the state and Central government are busy in playing the blame-games.
Some say the stubble burning in Punjab is the major reason for pollution, others consider construction activities in Delhi as the reason but no one is interested to take a robust action to control this problem permanently.
Pollution is no more an environmental problem but has become a major heath issue. It is affecting all those breathing this poison. Air pollution is and was never a result of one activity. It is due to emissions from vehicles, industries and agriculture, construction dust, and other factors related to household consumption and municipal planning.
Center for Science and Environment reported that air pollution kills an average of 8.5 out of every 10,000 children in India before they turn five. According to WHO, 1 lakh children died in India due to breathing polluted air in 2016.a has declined anywhere between two to three years.
According to Greenpeace, India has 22 out of 30 world’s most polluted cities in the world, Delhi regaining its position of becoming the world’s most polluted capital.
The tax liability system and polluted air are affecting the quality of life in India. Breathing in India is similar to smoking 22 cigarettes in a day which is quite dangerous. The government is unwillingly creating underfunded measures or programs like National Clean Air Programme with no legal mandate or bill to control this poisonous spell. Successful implementation of Anti-pollution programs requires higher stakes, higher budget and strict penalties and the proposal needs to be stronger.
In the United States, the Clean Air Act in the United States considers the environment and economic progress equal. This has resulted in decreasing emissions of six common pollutants by 73% from 1970 to 2107. Similarly, In China after declaring war on pollution, pollution concentration has reduced by 32% in 2108. And the government in India rather than thinking about its people’s health is busy completing more important tasks of investing in cow-dung and cow urine, renovating capital. gaining more publicity and much more.
Pollution Control Boards are not able to fulfill their duties of keeping an eye on pollution industries. The involvement of multiple government departments and several ministries has never allowed this most important amendment to get implemented.
A new law aligned with Pollution boards is required to make things favourable for the environment and the people. There is no better watchdog than active citizens, therefore maintaining transparency by disclosing pollution targets will make this law implemented more effectively for a longer run.
Pollution board should do the needful before the coming soon Smog wraps the national capital taking more lives and becoming an uncontrollable issue.
