Chronicle Report / Rohit Paul
The 2019 Global burden of disease (GBD) study estimated that Air pollution accounts for 11.3% total deaths worldwide for women and 12.2% for men. World health organization (WHO) calls attention to the huge toll of Air pollution on human health, leading to millions of deaths annually, comparable to tobacco smoking.
It is a wake up call to those who are still taking a sweet nap in middle of the day ignoring the fact that Air pollution has become international issue that's only increasing more and more as the time is passing by, it is an Issue that's effecting the world far beyond anything, weather it's global warming (more like Burning) or spiked up rated of chronic health diseases thats taking lives of millions of people and animals including children, birds, stray animals and cattles across the globe every year. As per the data by WHO World Health Organisation, Air pollution caused 8.1 million deaths world wide in 2021 and "India" was the third most polluted country followed by "Pakistan" as second and "Bangladesh" as first and most concerning thing of all is that all three of these countries are neighbours.
Due to consumption of poor quality of air, Average life expectancy of an individual is decreased from 70 years to 66.5 years which is a 3.5 years worth of less life.
Air quality is measured by a metric called the Air Quality Index(AQI) and Air Quality Monitors are devices used to measure the levels of various pollutants in the air, such as particulate matter. Monitors collect data on the concentration of these pollutants in the air and the collected data is used to calculate the AQI for each pollutant.
The AQI is mainly divided into 6 categories :- Good(0-50), Moderate(51-100), slightly unhealthy (101-150), unhealthy(151-200), very unhealthy(201-300) and Hazardous(301-500).
The data from lancet Planetary Health confirms that risk of mortality rose more quickly at lower PM2.5 levels, which means prolonged exposure to AQI of 100-300 is more dangerous than short term exposure to the AQI of 1000+ and higher.
If we look at the developed countries their AQI almost never reaches AQI level of 100.
AQI of Paris is 23 (good)
AQI of Japan is 17 (good)
AQI of USA is 52 (moderate)
AQI in Germany is 4(good)
In any case if the air quality of a developed country somehow manages to reach the AQI of 500 they will impose national emergency as soon as possible. But here in India the health minister don't even care to speak a single word even when the AQI crosses the mark of 1900. Mainstream media didn't focused much on this issue and some even compared our AQI to that of Pakistan and were trying to defend the fact we were not in any better position.
In the month of October and November India faces a sudden increase in the quantity of particulate matter in environment as burning a 100 - 150 foot firecrackers filled stubble doll called "Ravan" and bursting fire crackers in the name of celebrating "Diwali" the festival of lights is more important for us Indians than caring for our own health. Despite a ban on various range of fire crackers, people still manage to find them getting sold in market without a check.
A recent report by Airvoice, an air quality control startup, has revealed that pollution caused by Diwali firecrackers surged by a staggering 875 per cent in some regions of the country.
The study, which analysed data from 180 air quality monitoring stations across 14 states of India between 2017 and 2023, highlights the rise in pollution levels, particularly in northern states. In states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, where pollution is already a critical concern, PM2.5 levels jumps to hazardous heights on Diwali Night. In some areas, the levels were found to be up to nine times higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
It is a well known fact that in the month of September and October northern regions harvest summer season crops and the month of October to December is used for plantation of Rabi season crops.in prepration to plant the crop, farmers burn stubble in order to clear up the place making it easier for them to plant another crop. Stubble burning is a rapid, cheap and old practice that is used to save cost and time while preparing the field because farmers faces a tight deadline for sowing next crop. Punjab government Passed the Preservation Of Subsoil Water Act in 2009, according to which, farmers can't transplant paddy Before 15th June, and if they do this, their electricity supply can be disconnected and their paddy nurseries can be destroyed. Punjab government originally introduced this law to save water, but dispite water shortage farmers in punjab and Haryana are planting paddy and wheat due to high MSP prices given by government to these crops. Though farmers were burning stubble before 2009, a report on social, economic, and political implications of green revolution in india from 1991 says that even 25 years ago, it was difficult to walk in the villages of punjab due to smoke in the month of September and October. But the difference is that farmers used to burn stubble in the month of September, when it was monsoon season in our country the direction of the wind was different and because of the wind the pollution that comes from burning crops is blown away.But in November, when crops are burned, the monsoon season is over and the direction of wind changes, leading all the smokes to Delhi and other North Indian Cities.
Many reports are present that would say that stubble burning has decreased and punjab government as well as others governments have worked a lot on this over the course of 3-4 years, and a reports by the Indian Agriculture Research Institute shows that the incidents decreased between 2021 and 2023 but Hiren Jethwa a NASA scientist said that this data is wrong. He noticed while checking the satellite data, though the number of stubble burning incidents decreased, but the pollutants resulting from burning haven't decreased at all. Upon investigation he found that NASA satellite that records stubble burning, takes the data from 1:30pm to 2pm and according to it the stubble burning has decreased but when data is looked from the Korean satellite which records every 15 minutes, the incidents haven't decreased at all. This means maybe the farmers of punjab and Haryana have figured out a way to dodge the bullet and continue burning. The data above basically talks about seasonal sources of air pollution and banning them will help in decreasing the problem but for solving the entire problem we require greater combined efforts.
Cases of stubble burning
World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that the levels of PM2.5 should be less than 15 micrograms per cube, but our National standards is 4 times higher than WHO, which means that our limit is 60 micrograms per meter cube.
PM or particulate matter is a mixture of tiny solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.
Particulate matter can be classified into three categories
1. Coarse particles:- particles with a diameter of 10 micrometre or less are known as Coarse particles or PM10. These particles can penetrate into lungs and greater the health risk. For Ex- Mold spores, Bacteria, Dust, Smoke, Airborne, and Viral particles are some common examples of PM10.
2. Fine particles:- particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less are known as fine particles of PM2.5. These are one of the most dangerous type of PMs because they get deep into your lungs and even enter your blood stream. They can cause serious health issues including health diseases like lung cancer and premature death. Prime examples are Vehicle exhaust, wildfires, power plant emission, and other combustion activities.
3. Ultra fine particles:- Particles with a diameter of 0.1 micrometre or less. There is barely any information about the PM0.1 as researches are still going on at it.
There are various other factor contributing to the Air pollution and PM2.5s.
According to the modelling study published in The BMJ, a global healthcare knowledge provider, it was found that outdoor air pollution (ambient particulate matter) from all sources like dust storm, forest fires, residential heating and cooking, agriculture, industry and power production, etc. accounts for death of over 2.18 million people in India annually, second only to China. The research also found that using fossil fuels in industries, power generation and transportation accounts for 5.1 million extra deaths a year worldwide.
Of the 30 world cities with the worst air pollution, 21 of them are in India. According to IQAir Delhi is currently the most polluted city with AQI 382.
As per the report of India Today, Agra municipal corporation was accused of manipulating the air quality data. Upon complaints, the Agra branch of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board(UPPCB) dispached a team to investigate the site, during investigation it was found that municipal corporation did set sprinklers in the direction of the air quality monitor and they also found that, on November 8 monitor showed the AQI reading of 129, on November 9 it showed the AQI reading of 81, on November 11 it showed the AQI reading of 127 and on November 12 it showed the AQI reading of 138. Data from UPPCB shows "337" good days and "19" bad days in 2023, while as of September 2024, there were "254" good days and only 3 bad days.
Dispite all the reports, studies and alarms our country has failed to act upon this blood boiling issue of slow death that require an immediate response. Air pollution should be made a political priority if we need a direct action, leaders should convince citizens, how will they tackle the issue of pollution and take necessary steps to ensure and reduce the pollution. In China, Beijing has shown how the quality of air can be improved if the efforts are continuous and constant. The conclusion is that we are in a state of national emergency and main stream media is taking this issue very lightly.
It is not the case that Government is doing nothing, they have launched various schemes and tried to promote it among people, but if the citizens won't make the pollution a prime subjects of discussion even governments will sideline it bit by bit.