It is much easier to preach than practise. Yes, this is the case with the most burning problem of pollution the country is now facing as events to sensitise people on the hazards of pollution are conducted year after year as a ritual during the National Pollution Control Day on December 2. What’s the use in preaching without practising.
After the nation’s capital being the most polluted cities in the country, Chennai too is facing a similar situation as red alert is shown in the Air Quality Index. All because of vehicle population resulting in emission such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and benzene. Sadly, air pollutants contributes to urban air quality problems like photochemical smog resulting in adversely affecting the health of the people.
Just a couple of years ago, Green Peace report stated that 1.2 million deaths occur every year in India due to air pollution and claimed none of the 168 cities it assessed complied with air quality standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Definitely, air pollution is a cause for concern which is now a global issue warranting warfooting steps to combat it before it goes from bad to worse.
Despite the fact, National Pollution Control Day is observed every year in memory of those who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas tragedy on December 2, 1984, not much has been done so far to combat air pollution as things are turning to a danger level with people getting affected by cold, cough, headache and fever. The dust is the villain for this sorry state of affairs. And there is no meaning in conducting a one day event to spread awareness among public about pollution like water, air, soil, noise that affects the environment to a great extent besides turning a serious health problem for people more so the children, who are mostly subjected to the hazards of air pollution. A mechanism is needed to make people using vehicles and industries to strictly adhere to pollution norms.
Environmental experts suggest for cutting down use of vehicles more particularly a single person travelling in a car. Instead, bicycles can be used to protect the environment. It is interesting to infer that even in developed countries, people now avoid using cars and they opt for pedalling their way on their daily chores. Few years ago, a Trainee Assistant Collector Nandakumar used to come to Coimbatore collectorate in cycle from his Race Course quarters. Better to take a leaf out of that civil servant’s book.
