India must unite to wage a war against pollution

Context: It is usually closer to Diwali that the National Capital Region (NCR) witnesses such bad weather conditions; but the situation a month ahead of its time is worrisome.

Issues with the rising pollution

• Stubble burning: in Punjab, Haryana and other border regions where harvesting is done by machines which leave out part of stem and root in the ground.

• Most of the harvesting in these two regions is done by machine which harvest the crop leaving a part of the stem and root in the ground.
• High cost of clearing land: up to ?5,000 to ?6,000 per acre and burning remains a less expensive proposition.

• States are reluctant on spending and argue for Centre’s support in providing paddy straw chopper machines at reduced rates. 
• The solution to this problem is using the paddy straw chopper.

• Relationship with pandemic: Researchers from Harvard University have found a link between corona- virus deaths and hazardous particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air.

• For E.g. air pollution caused an 8% increase in covid-19 deaths in the US. 

• Responsible for Global Deaths: On an average, seven million people die across the world from air pollution-related causes annually. 
• Pollutions statistics in India:  According to the World Air Quality Report, India is ranked five among the world’s most polluted countries; 21 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India. 

Conclusion: While stopping the polluting industries or putting curbs on transport could hamper economic growth, governments have to come up with innovative solutions in consultation with experts, devising solutions that are long-term and sustainable, such as adopting clean technologies.