How long will people continue to inhale poison through the air in Delhi-NCR?

This year again the problem of suffocating environment caused by stubble and air pollution is becoming a threat to life in some areas of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The air quality in Delhi-NCR is becoming very bad i.e. deadly. Winter hasn’t even started yet, this is the second time this season. Although we may get relief occasionally due to immediate reasons, but it is becoming a permanent problem and life crisis for the people living not only in Delhi-NCR but in large areas of North India, which is affecting the health of children, elderly and others. It is proving to be extremely dangerous and fatal for people suffering from diseases. Even though the governments seem to be serious about this issue, even though a complete action plan is ready to solve this increasingly complex problem, but its effective results are not visible, it reflects the failure of the government somewhere. Used to be. Delhi and Punjab governments gave many tempting arguments and facts, whatever arguments the governments give, the reality is that people are suffocating. If they are really serious about overcoming this, it should be visible on the practical level.

Degradation of air quality and pollution is such a huge web in which all living beings including humans are trapped and struggling, struggling with the threat of life and breath. Long queues have started being seen outside hospitals. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, people do not expect any reduction in the bad air for the next few days. According to the Meteorological Department, if the air quality is between zero and 50 then it is considered ‘good’. If AQI is between 51 to 100 then it is considered ‘satisfactory’ and AQI between 101 to 200 is considered ‘moderate’. If AQI goes above 201 and remains up to 300 then it is considered ‘bad’, if it is between 301 to 400 then it is ‘very bad’ and if it reaches above 400 then it is considered ‘severe’. On October 22, AQI in Delhi-NCR reached 313 i.e. very poor level. Since then, the air quality has remained in the ‘very poor’ category due to slowing down of wind speed and drop in temperature. This problem is becoming serious year after year.

To overcome this serious problem, Delhi government has tried many measures and issued instructions to control pollution but they are not proving effective. Government vehicles are also seen sprinkling water at various places in Delhi-NCR, which reduces the amount of dust in the air. But the nature of these steps itself shows that the government is trying to reduce the symptoms of the problem but till now no significant success has been achieved in solving the problem or reducing its severity. The practice of stubble burning in Punjab and surrounding states has been identified many years ago as one of the major reasons for this. But due to political reasons there are no signs of significant progress on that front. Pollution has become dangerous to life-threatening levels. The question is why Delhi-NCR, which has been continuously struggling with this great crisis for the last few years, does not get the light of any permanent solution? Why are governments and politicians not ready for a solution instead of blaming each other? To get rid of this odd and burning problem, every political party and government will have to become sensitive and insightful. Will we have to wait for a Chanakya to be born, who can put butter in the roots? No, now every political mind will have to become Chanakya. Only then will we get relief from the growing problem of air pollution.

If we talk about the last week itself, 398 incidents of stubble burning were recorded in Punjab on Wednesday, 589 on Thursday and 766 on Friday. However, governments are trying to reduce it in their own way. Teams of fire fighters have been deployed in many areas of Punjab including Moga, who reach the spot as soon as information about stubble burning is received and work to stop it. It has been said in UP that farmers found burning stubble will not be given the benefits of schemes like Kisan Samman Nidhi. But here also the matter is to strictly stop the farmers from burning stubble, whereas the need is to provide them such better options so that they themselves start turning away from it. Many suggestions have been discussed, such as making fertilizer from stubble and using it in agriculture or increasing the use of stubble as fuel in thermal power plants and other industries through other measures, but it is clear that those options have not yet been made available to the farmers.

It is not only the responsibility of the governments to improve the air quality and reduce pollution and to make Delhi and other metropolitan cities of the country livable, but it is the responsibility of all of us. Although people just have to play the role of a responsible citizen, antidust campaign should also be carried out continuously. People themselves will have to be completely cautious. People should not throw garbage in open spaces nor burn it. Pollution level of vehicles should be checked. Try to minimize the use of private vehicles and use public vehicles. It is also necessary to stop the materialistic mentality of bursting crackers which is playing with the lives of the common people. Because burning firecrackers has the potential to have dangerous effects on the lives of not only the elderly but also children and the development of many diseases. To materialize the global concept of a pollution-free environment, meaningful initiatives will have to be taken towards celebrating eco-friendly Diwali and a positive environment will have to be created. Like stubble, the pollution caused by firecrackers is dangerous. Today, stubble-crackers have become a political pollution. This pollution has to be fought in the same way as a small lamp fights intense darkness. Small position, but does not let darkness come near. Gives a trial by fire every moment. But yes! No one can pass the ordeal of fire with straw wrapped around his body. There are only one party governments in Delhi and Punjab, instead of blaming others, why doesn’t the Aam Aadmi Party government provide a solution.

Instead of blurring the glorious cultural existence and identity of “Diwali” due to stubble pollution, a permanent solution should be found. The attempt to cover up stubble pollution in the name of firecracker pollution should be avoided. “Diwali” is our culture, civilization, mutual love, history, heritage and the wonder of the rows of lamps. Calling the pollution caused by stubble around Diwali as pollution from firecrackers is an excessive irony and an escapist mentality to shy away from the problem. In fact, it is the irresponsible behavior of the governments, which has forced everyone to live in a poisonous atmosphere. During the winter season, there are deadly metals in the air, which cause difficulty in breathing. Increase in the amount of cadmium and arsenic in the air increases the risk of cancer, kidney problems and high blood pressure, diabetes and heart diseases. In this, the lethality increases manifold due to pollution of stubble. Pollution from firecrackers is even more dangerous. The number of cities with AQI more than 300 is increasing. The reasons why residents of the National Capital Region are forced to inhale poison have been discussed so many times that they need not be repeated.

-Lalit Garg

(The author is a senior journalist and columnist)