Air pollution in India (Environmental)
Article Title: “Pollution in India worse than Beijing”
November 12, 2016 Author: Editor in The Economist Place: Delhi |
Issue overview and spatial Significance:
Air pollution in India has become a serious issue in the country since the country’s industrialization. In Delhi, India, the annual measure of air pollution is PM 2.5 and the fine dust stands at 122 micrograms per cubic area, approximately double the amount of fine dust found in Beijing’s air annually. In 2016, there were ten successive days when Delhi’s air was fogged with fine dust density of averages of over 500 µg/m³, with maximum up to 1,000µg/m³. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the safe PM2.5 level is only 25 µg/m³ over 24 hour. The health of Delhi citizens is under threat. In addition, it has came in the citizen’s concern that the Indian government is not efficiently addressing the problem. |
Patterns and trends:
Development always comes at the expense of environment, and humans are suffering from the consequences and drawbacks. This is the drawback of the expansionist point of view, which people use all the resources available on the planet, but they are responsible for preserving the environment. Air pollution, land pollution, water pollution, and the depletion of ozone layer are markers of development and human activities. This environmental issue is not only happening in Delhi, but around the world. For example, there are serious air pollution with more than 100 µg/m³ pollutants in air in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Zabol, Iran, Bamenda, Cameroon, and Baoding, China.The use of gasoline car plays a huge factor in this issue. More people are qualified to buy vehicle which emits greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. Moreover, the development in technology boost the demand of energy and electric power. In addition, owing to the globalization, many multinational corporations set up factories in less developed countries where the waste disposal laws are not properly promulgated. These companies take advantage of lower cost and the economic disparity between the MDCs and LDCs to benefit themselves while making serious harm to the land of the less developing countries. On the other hand, industrial pollution is not as serious in developed countries nowadays as there are not that many factories there.The demand of energy is expected to grow in the future. Balance has to be achieved between human activities and the preservation of the environment.
Development always comes at the expense of environment, and humans are suffering from the consequences and drawbacks. This is the drawback of the expansionist point of view, which people use all the resources available on the planet, but they are responsible for preserving the environment. Air pollution, land pollution, water pollution, and the depletion of ozone layer are markers of development and human activities. This environmental issue is not only happening in Delhi, but around the world. For example, there are serious air pollution with more than 100 µg/m³ pollutants in air in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Zabol, Iran, Bamenda, Cameroon, and Baoding, China.The use of gasoline car plays a huge factor in this issue. More people are qualified to buy vehicle which emits greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. Moreover, the development in technology boost the demand of energy and electric power. In addition, owing to the globalization, many multinational corporations set up factories in less developed countries where the waste disposal laws are not properly promulgated. These companies take advantage of lower cost and the economic disparity between the MDCs and LDCs to benefit themselves while making serious harm to the land of the less developing countries. On the other hand, industrial pollution is not as serious in developed countries nowadays as there are not that many factories there.The demand of energy is expected to grow in the future. Balance has to be achieved between human activities and the preservation of the environment.
Geographic Perspectives and Interrelationships:
Social: The Indians are richer than before. They have an annual Gross Domestic Product ranking the third in the world after China and America. As more people can afford to buy car, there is a surplus of car on road, which increases carbon emission.
Political: The government’s policy has worsen the air quality in India. Successive Indian government tried to keep votes from the working class such as the drives, tractors and farmers who often use pump, hence they instructed state-owned fuel companies to sell diesel more cheaply than gasoline. This policy encouraged a massive switch from gasoline to diesel, and more harmful pollutants are discharged to the air.
Economic: India is a country which economic are based heavily on industries such as petroleum, chemical, transportation, and agriculture. These industries often emit tones of air pollutants to the air inevitably.
Environmental: The agricultural activities in India also contributes to the poor air quality as the farmer like to use pump.
Social: The Indians are richer than before. They have an annual Gross Domestic Product ranking the third in the world after China and America. As more people can afford to buy car, there is a surplus of car on road, which increases carbon emission.
Political: The government’s policy has worsen the air quality in India. Successive Indian government tried to keep votes from the working class such as the drives, tractors and farmers who often use pump, hence they instructed state-owned fuel companies to sell diesel more cheaply than gasoline. This policy encouraged a massive switch from gasoline to diesel, and more harmful pollutants are discharged to the air.
Economic: India is a country which economic are based heavily on industries such as petroleum, chemical, transportation, and agriculture. These industries often emit tones of air pollutants to the air inevitably.
Environmental: The agricultural activities in India also contributes to the poor air quality as the farmer like to use pump.
Key Stakeholders:
The Delhi citizens – Their health are under serious threat. The poor air quality in Delhi has caused sore eyes, itchy throats, headaches and fatigue. They are the victims of this “toxic air”.
The Delhi government – The government has the responsibility to provide a clean air to its citizens. The federal and provincial government had made an effort to clean up the air by, closing schools and constructions sites, sprinkling water on the streets to dampen dust and tightening controls on vehicle emissions. However,more policies which tackle the “root” of those issues should be expected.
The governments of the globe - Countries should unite together to face environmental challenges as under the ecological globalization, the environment is closely connected to each other. Pollution happens all around the world, and global warming is making the situation worse.Not only India government needs to take action.
The Delhi citizens – Their health are under serious threat. The poor air quality in Delhi has caused sore eyes, itchy throats, headaches and fatigue. They are the victims of this “toxic air”.
The Delhi government – The government has the responsibility to provide a clean air to its citizens. The federal and provincial government had made an effort to clean up the air by, closing schools and constructions sites, sprinkling water on the streets to dampen dust and tightening controls on vehicle emissions. However,more policies which tackle the “root” of those issues should be expected.
The governments of the globe - Countries should unite together to face environmental challenges as under the ecological globalization, the environment is closely connected to each other. Pollution happens all around the world, and global warming is making the situation worse.Not only India government needs to take action.
Issue Implications:
Social: A study published in Delhi in 2008 estimated that 40% of residents had damaged lungs. They were five times more likely to suffer from chronic lung disease than other Indians, and four times more likely to have hypertension caused by the harmful pollutants in air. More rigorous studies in other countries have shown marked increases in respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease and cancer tied directly to pollution levels, as well as serious and permanent damage to the health of children.
Economic: The environment pollution can cause long term economic burden to the country. Increasing public health fee, reconstruction fee, and reduced work force due to health problem may be resulted. Indian government must find a balance between economic development and environmental protection, or else its citizens are going to pay the price of good economy with health.The government should have a stronger enforcement in environmental laws in industrial buildings and create policies to reduce household carbon emission. For example, restrict the number of car on road by forbidding the use of vehicles of even or odd license number on certain days.
Social: A study published in Delhi in 2008 estimated that 40% of residents had damaged lungs. They were five times more likely to suffer from chronic lung disease than other Indians, and four times more likely to have hypertension caused by the harmful pollutants in air. More rigorous studies in other countries have shown marked increases in respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease and cancer tied directly to pollution levels, as well as serious and permanent damage to the health of children.
Economic: The environment pollution can cause long term economic burden to the country. Increasing public health fee, reconstruction fee, and reduced work force due to health problem may be resulted. Indian government must find a balance between economic development and environmental protection, or else its citizens are going to pay the price of good economy with health.The government should have a stronger enforcement in environmental laws in industrial buildings and create policies to reduce household carbon emission. For example, restrict the number of car on road by forbidding the use of vehicles of even or odd license number on certain days.