After a long lock down period in India, air pollution in cities is rising up again during unlock period. The condition of Ranchi city in Jharkhand state is also progressing along the same line. As reported by different Pollution Monitoring agencies air pollution had dropped down considerably during lockdown period.
The experts have warned that corona infection is sure to rise with the rising air pollution during unlock period. Air pollution has been reported to be the 3rd most serious reason behind deaths in Jharkhand. About 9.1 percent people in the state die due to air pollution.
According to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in 2017 maximum deaths in Jharkhand are caused due to malnutrition.
The second important reason behind deaths in Jharkhand is diseases caused due to the land pollution. The British Journal Lancet Commission in its survey has reported that out of one lakh deaths about one thousand deaths are caused by air pollution.
The Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED), the organization working for pollution has reported that the environment in Ranchi has improved as compared to its conditions earlier. In spite of that the air pollution here is high than the safety standards by 2.5 times. The quality of PM-10 is still more than normal here. The organization admits that if solid attempts are taken up, the city will become inhabitable in future.
Pollution Monitoring at Nine Places
At nine places in the Jharkhand state air is being monitored continuously. Three in Dhanbad, two in Jamshedpur and one in each of Ranchi, Jharia, Saraikela and West Singhbhoom air monitoring station. Many private stations which evaluate air index claim that the PM-10 quantity is not satisfactory.
Why does air pollution rise up?
About 70 percent of the causes of air pollution are auto mobile exhausts and dust coming out of construction works including crushers. Mixing of dust, smoke and harmful gases cause rise up in the air pollution. It causes increase in the index.
Air Pollution during the month of September- October every year increases due to burning of paddy stems in the crop fields. If the case comes to be the same this year of Covid-19 the condition may become dangerous.
It is reported that increasing pollution directly affects the immune system. Experts are of the opinion that increases in the air pollution will double the infection rate of corona.
Not alone the burning of agricultural waste, contribution of factories, road transport etc. to the load of atmospheric pollution is also responsible for accelerating the weakness of immune system.
According to a study conducted by AIIMS- New Delhi, burning of agricultural waste causes increase of High Blood Pressure up to 30 to 40 percent. About 30 percent of Asthma and other respiratory diseases increase due to burning of agricultural waste in the neighboring states.
A battle is already on in Delhi and adjacent areas to protect the local environment from the poisonous gases since 2015. Some positive results have also come up. But the problem exists even today. With the changing atmosphere after rains the fear of the poisonous wind starts up. This year, the Central Government and Governments of neighboring states become active with the smell of pollution in the area.
Everyone fixes the responsibility of air pollution on burning of agricultural straw in Punjab and Haryana states. But the central minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Mr. Prakash Jawdekar says that not alone burning of Parali or the Paddy straw is responsible. He is of the opinion that contribution of burning of Paddy straw is merely 40 percent. Rest of 60 percent pollution comes from other sources.
