Death by breath

For the past few years, every winter has brought a brutal challenge to Delhi’s residents. New Delhi’s air pollution typically worsens at this time of the year too, as hazy smog invariably sets in. Breathing this air is equivalent of smoking 45 cigarettes a day. Why does Delhi encounter the trouble of smog every winter? Did the government fail to tackle the pollution crisis despite knowing it happens repeatedly?

Pollution in all forms, is not confined to Delhi alone. It is a worldwide problem and the reasons are manifold. Too many automobiles, industries, too much detergent and pesticide use, inadequate sewage treatment plants, carbon emission – all can be linked to the issue. How do you justify our society’s preference for individual vehicles, scant respect for waste management and industry stagnate that deteriorates the air quality. Add to this, rapid deforestation combined with the massive burning of fossil fuels and waste, give an explosive recipe for an irreversible disaster.

The worsening air pollution is a reality and has been a ‘slow-killing’ disaster for us. There is already evidence of a spectrum of health problems, ranging from allergies and respiratory conditions, malformations, growth restrictions and even an increasing incidence of cancers, all of which could be related to increased pollution. The deterioration of our environment clearly threatens our physical well being and that of the ecosystem. Without air there is nothing, it is death by breath.

Low levels of awareness and education, lack of civic sense, resistance to change and “not in my backyard attitude” of people are the most paralysing reasons. People often complain but hardly change their own lifestyle. It’s painful to accept the facts but, all of us together are contributing towards environment degeneration.

The menace of air pollution cannot be tackled by regulations alone, their strict implementation and cooperation of masses are crucial. From use of pooled vehicles and public transport to proper waste management and adoption of alternative clean energy sources we have to go beyond if we really want to prevent further deterioration.

- The reader is a former teacher based in Dubai