The problem of air pollution has become serious, but concern is raised about it only when its level rises alarmingly. In such a situation, it is necessary to have a permanent solution, the side effects of air pollution are increasing in the whole of North India. But despite knowing everything in the absence of awareness against it, we do not want to understand its seriousness. From the beginning of November, the noise of pollution is heard all over the country including Delhi, but after a few months it disappears from our memory. Surprisingly, the danger of health from war and terrorism, serious diseases etc. is many times more than that of air pollution in the world. In India the situation is much worse. The latest Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report by the University of Chicago has claimed that India is one of the most polluted countries in the world. According to this report, the age of people in North India is decreasing by seven and a half years. If we talk about the whole of India, then the average age of people has decreased by at least five years due to pollution. In this case the condition of Delhi is said to be worse.
Formidable problem: Air pollution has now become a serious problem for all the countries of South Asia. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal have to bear the maximum heat of this calamity. Air pollution is a huge problem for the entire South Asian region and no country located in this region can fight it alone. Parliamentarians of India and Pakistan have called for the creation of such a platform of these countries, where experiences can be exchanged to deal with air pollution. In this case, the eyes of the whole world are on South Asia, because this vast area is the biggest victim of the problem of pollution, so we have to set our own standards and solutions. We have to create a platform and standards to answer the questions of how the resolutions we took in Stockholm and Glasgow will be implemented in Lahore, Dhaka, Kathmandu and Delhi. This platform will prove to be a great platform for the exchange of various ideas. Because when we have an emergency of air pollution.
In this context, a Forum of South Asian Parliamentarians should be created where these subjects can be discussed. The problem of air pollution in Pakistan is taking a very dangerous form. While on the one hand the world is saying that new coal-based power stations should not be set up, the process of setting them up is still going on in various countries of South Asia. Air pollution due to these reasons is proving to be fatal. We have to move towards alternative energy generation. For this it is also important to exchange each other’s experiences. Also, effective laws have to be made in this regard.
health emergency
Air pollution has also become a major health emergency. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal need to ask the question of how effective climate change is. Air pollution is not just an environmental and chemical subject, but it is purely health related. Experts say that about 50 percent of lung cancer patients are coming from those who do not smoke. In addition, 10 percent of the patients are between 20 and 30 years old. 30% of India’s children are asthmatic. Air pollution is not only harming our lungs, but due to this many other diseases including heart diseases, stress, depression and impotence are also arising. The unborn baby is also facing problems. That is, air pollution is affecting us even before birth. In such a situation, there is no other way but to eliminate air pollution. We have to understand our responsibility and work in this direction will have to start from today itself. Fossil fuels i.e. coal, oil and natural gas also cause many environmental and health related damages. Gases produced by fossil fuels cause acidification of the oceans, excessive rainfall and rise in sea level. Air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels can lead to asthma, cancer, heart disease and premature death. One out of every five deaths globally is due to air pollution. At the same time, pollution is the fourth biggest human health hazard.
Southeast Asian Region
It is also worth considering that air pollution is an invisible killer. In the Southeast Asian region, more than two million people die due to air pollution. In such a situation, we need such a model of development, which protects our environment. No country wants to change the current economic trend, but without doing so the world cannot be made safe. For this we also need cooperation at the international level and only then can some concrete work be done in this direction.