Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 23.6.19
Air Pollution
Let me begin with some figures. Air pollution in India is estimated to
kill 1.5 million people every year. It is the fifth largest killer in India,
after heart diseases, diarrhoes, road injuries and self-harm. India tops world
in bad air quality: According to WHO global air pollution database, India has14
out of 15 most polluted cities worldwide. The air quality in Delhi, the capital
of India, according to a WHO survey of 1600 world cities, is the worst of any
major city in the world.
Air Pollution is no longer a problem with large cities. Smaller cities
have also been facing this problem- mostly in North India. But Eastern India
has also started facing this problem.
For example, Cuttack, the millennium city flanked by two big rivers
Mahanadi and Kathajodi- is one of the
six cities in Odisha who are among the 102 cities of the country that have
failed to maintain the national ambient air quality standards fixed by the Central
Pollution Control Board.
Along with the Chowdwar- Jagatpur industrial belt in its periphery, the
oldest city of Odisha is also one the cities facing highest vehicular air
pollution. University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index suggests that
residents in Cuttack could live 2.7 years longer if the Cuttack had met WHO air
quality standards.
But do we care? We don’t. But we have to. Consider this: Long-term health
effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and
respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause
long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs.
Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects.
We have to take care and take action- at Policy, societal and individual
level.
At individual level we have to conserve energy - at home, at work,
everywhere. We have to use public transportation, cycle, or walk whenever
possible. Use carpool instead of individual use. Use environmentally safe
paints and cleaning products whenever possible. Look for the ENERGY STAR label
when buying home or office equipment. Compost leaves and yard waste. Use
gas/solar cooker instead of wood for cooking purpose
At societal level, we need to take steps to reduce open burning of
garbage, farm refuse, even dead bodies at the crematorium. Encourage walking
and/or cycling instead of using bike/car. Raise awareness about air pollution.
Lobby for reduction of air pollution at policy level
At the policy level, prioritize anti-pollution measures at policy level
and on field. Make adequate legislation and implement strictly. Make a
vigilance mechanism by empowering Pollution Control Boards. Spread awareness
Indoor Plants
Indoor plants, many scientists say, can purify
air. There are some specific plants, which can clean the ambient air.
Therefore, they advise to keep those plants inside the house and take good care
of them.
I saw a wall of green plants inside Guwahati
Airport building. It looks good and keeps the temperature down- considerably
lowering the cost of air-conditioning. This could be installed in other
airports and lobbies of large buildings.
 |
| Pic: Mrinal Chatterjee |
Many space-challenged cities have started to
build Vertical Gardens along high rise buildings, bridges, etc. This is being
tried at several places in Delhi. Other cities should also try doing this.
Jhelum Fables
Dr Tabeenah Anjum Qureshi, a National award
winning photographer and journalist of Kashmiri origin presently working in
Rajasthan with an English daily is like a younger sister to me. Recently she curated
and conducted a five day visual storytelling workshop titled ‘Jhelum fables’ on
a houseboat on Jhelum River in Srinagar. This unique workshop which combined
the art and craft of photography and storytelling was an ode to the river
Jhelum presented by the participants through 50 photographs and as many
stories.
 |
| Dr. Tabeenah (left) and Mahi Burza at the Houseboat on Jhelum. |
The visual stories conceived by each storyteller were an Ode to the river Jhelum, also known as Vyeth in Kashmiri and Vitasta in Sanskrit. "As the soul of the workshop was imaginations, the participants practiced this art through their writings and photography. The ripples in the muddy waters, windswept verandahs, hide and seek of mellow Sun, flutter of the evening birds, roving shikaras, conversations from the nearby houseboats, knuckles in the wood flooring, footsteps of the walkers on the footbridge, the sound of distant bells of Shankracharya temple and echoes of namaz were the sounds heard and unheard by the budding visual storytellers who later translated them into visuals and stories explaining Jhelum who taught us an art of resilience", said Tabeenah.
 |
| Some of the participants of the workshop |
"Besides writing and photography the
objective of the workshop was to build the conversations among the
participants. The youth in Kashmir lack access and opportunities to art and
culture in some sense. Our aim was to establish one such space. This is just
the beginning, we aim to conduct many such programs", said Mahi Burza a
passionate teacher and founder of Roots, which organized this workshop.
This kind of workshop could be and should be
organized more often and in more places.
Tail piece: Types of Vegetarians
My friend Nagaghana said, India is the only
country in the world which has eight types of vegetarians.
I asked how? He answered,
1.
Pure Vegetarian. They do not take onion, garlic; some even do
not take anything that grows under the soil. Some do not take milk.
2.
Eat eggs but do not eat chicken or any meat.
3.
Eat cake with egg-white, but do not eat omelet or chicken.
4.
Eat gravy but not chicken or meat pieces.
5.
Eat outside but not at home.
6.
Eat when drinking otherwise not.
7.
Eat when somebody coaxes and forces, otherwise not
8.
Eat only on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. On other days of
the week- never.
Tailpiece: Legal Question
A drunk man asks a lawyer, “If I
buy a bottle from a Govt. approved shop and my wife tries to stop me from
drinking, is it possible to send her to prison for "obstructing Govt.
approved activity ?"
The lawyer is still searching
for an answer.
***
The
author, a journalist turned media academician lives in Central Odisha town of
Dhenkanal. An anthology of his weekly column Window Seat, published in 2018 has been published as a book. Write
to him to get a free e-copy. mrinalchatterjee@ymail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment