Can
we say that even pollution does a differential treatment among different
section of the society? At a first instance this would look a bit weird, but
unfortunately reality is stranger than fiction.
With
winter comes the latest trending warm clothes, blankets, blazers etc. in the
market; sabji mandi floods with colourful vegetables specially pea, cauliflower,
carrot, spinach, mustard green (saron ki saag)– adds an extra flavour to our recipe;
but with these delightful things also comes the problem of air pollution.
Air
pollution is also not less than humans. When people gossips about latest fashion
collection and trending design with changing season then air pollution also changes
its variety like in summer the Northern plains is affected by dust storms, in
winter it change it trend into smog. When people make a step forward in development,
then air pollution does not stay behind, it also launches its new toxic gas –
for example- When Chloroflorocarbons (CFCs) gases were destroying ozone layer
in the atmosphere, then it was replaced by Hydroflorocarbons (HFCs) gases, but
now it became clear that although HFCs gases would not deplete ozone yet it is
a potent green house gas which would be add-on in the list of factors
responsible for accelerating climate change.
Smog
covering entire Northern Plains of India.
Source:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=5103
The
toxic smog has covered the entire country with its thick blanket. The News channels
on T.V., internet and the Newspaper are coloured with news related to smog and
its associated problems. Most of the news channels and print media houses are
just focusing on the National Capital Region – Delhi and it is very unfortunate
that the regional places like Lucknow(U.P.), Patna(Bihar), Bhiwadi(Rajasthan)
are ignored. In fact the level of Particulate Matter (P.M. 2.5) is much more in
these cities than New Delhi.
The
data below shows that although the regional cities are choking from toxic gases
more than Delhi, yet they get little space in the news. Or in other words it can
be said that the people do differential treatment based on the region.
CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
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CONTINUOUS AMBIENT AIR QUALITY
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Current Air Pollution Level of P.M. 2.5
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Source:
Central Pollution Control Board (http://www.cpcb.gov.in/CAAQM/mapPage/frmindiamap.aspx)
Now
let’s come to the point - how air pollution has differential impact on various section
of the society?
Both,
rich and poor lives in cities. In winter when the problem of smog chokes the
life of people, the people belonging to weaker section of the society having
poor source of income are mostly affected. Since the affluent have money for
medical treatment, buying new technological air purifiers, can run their
business from home, or even can go out for a long holiday till the smog problem
settles down. Counter to this, the marginal man has to go out for work to earn
his/her livelihood. If they work so hard just to have two times of food a day,
then how can they even think of air purifier…
In
spite of suffering from smog induced respiratory problems like trouble in
breathing, asthma etc., eye problems like – eye itching, redeness etc. the
marginal man cannot afford to stay at home.
Source
: www.bbc.com
The
problem of smog or any kind of pollution should not be seen as temporary problem,
rather it should be seen with larger perspective and the solution should be of
long term.
It
should not been seen just as an environmental and health problem but the different
social aspects of life affected by it, should also be considered.
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