New Delhi, India, – Over the weekend, Indian skies were filled with extravagant fireworks. The celebration, however, adds another significant misery to their daily lives. The smoke coming from the fireworks aggravated the city’s air pollution problems and is a severe health risk to residents, particularly children.
New Delhi turns out to be one of the most polluted cities in the world.
Deadly health hazard
According to The United Nations Children’s Fund report, air pollution worldwide affects 2 billion children. A third of the statistical data lives in Northern India and nearby countries. The outcome could not have been more serious, if not deadly. Serious health problems can be developed in prolonged exposure to air pollution which includes lung and brain damage to top the list.
Out of the 2 billion children worldwide, 300 million, including 200 million in Southeast Asia suffer unhealthy exposure. These children are subjected to the pollution level six times more that the average of the World Health Organization standard.
Sure enough, the cause of the pollution is the customary garbage burning of residents to stay warm in winter. Hence, air pollution in the Indian capital is at its highest during winter which is further exacerbated by the season’s weak airstreams.
The Diwali Effect
Prior to the much anticipated Hindu holiday, the Diwali festival, experts noted the high levels of concentration of microscopic lung- obstructing particles called PM 2.5. On Friday, the presence of PM 2.5 recorded was beyond 300 micrograms per cubic meter.
Correspondingly, local officials released health warnings mostly for children, elderly and to people suffering respiratory or heart problems. The notice instructs residents to just stay indoors because of the pollution. The nearby states of Punjab and Haryana worsened the condition because of an on-going burning of spent agricultural crops.
An 18-year-old student in Delhi, Dharmendra said, “My eyes are irritated, I’m coughing and I find it difficult to breathe”. He added that because of the pollution, he does not “go out so much nowadays.” The teenager is using only one name, an ordinary custom in India.
Health disaster
The executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment, Anumita Roy Chowdhury said, “Pollution levels every winter gallop, and we are already beginning to see the signs of it”.
Several local studies show that a third of the city’s children have acquired lung and respiratory illnesses which “signals health disaster”, according to Chowdhury.
Children are more vulnerable to develop air pollution related diseases since they breathe twice as fast compared to adults. Their brain and body are taking in more air while their immune systems are still developing.
According to UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, “The impact is commensurately shocking”. A study published on Monday showed that 600,000 children not more than 5 years old are dying worldwide because of air pollution related problems. He added that “Millions more suffer from respiratory diseases that diminish their resilience and affect their physical and cognitive development.”
The Real Deal
Out of the total 2.26 billion children worldwide, 2 billion children suffered from air pollution; 620 million in South Asia, mostly in northern India, 520 million children in Africa and 450 million, chiefly in China.
The report was taken in ‘combined satellite images’ of air pollution with ground data to pinpoint demographic patterns of the highest risk areas. For the WHO, it is a very alarming state where a huge total of the population were exposed to unhealthy air.
“Change the Air”
New Delhi, well aware of their air pollution situation started to pass legislation to control the worsening condition.
They started to ban cargo trucks from main highways and require drivers to purchase new vehicles which can meet the higher emission standards. They created a strategic limitation of the number of vehicles on the road and planned experimental traffic control.
Authorities also turn to mobile phones for their advocacy. Last week they launched “Change the Air” app. They hope it will spark a chain reaction for residents to send in photos and report illegal sources of pollution.
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