Can you insulate yourself from air pollution-related health issues?

Air pollution is affecting people globally. In India, declining AQI is spreading from one state to another like a rogue plague putting popular lives at risk.

First Delhi, then Maharashtra, and now Kochi is fighting air pollution-related challenges. The cause of the problem is different for all the 3 cities. While the national capital is battling dangerous AQI due to vehicular pollution and stubble burning, Mumbai has witnessed dust storms because of natural causes and increased construction activities. Kochi is a case of manmade disaster—namely mismanagement of solid waste.

The smog blanket:

The city and its surrounding regions are covered under a blanket of dark smog. This reminds of a similar incident in the Govandi dumping ground (on the outskirts of Mumbai) had caught massive fire because of solid waste mismanagement. The citizens bore the brunt of the resultant smog and health issues persist.

I have referenced these two instances because they are closer home. But global data is equally unsettling. As per World bank data, 91% of the world population breathe unhealthy air. Despite various efforts made to tackle this problem, less than 10% of people in the world breathe clean air.

The reason is rising smoke levels from fires, industries, and vehicles. Let us look at the most recent Brahmapuram fire incident in Kerala to highlight the severity of the issue. The fire broke out in a garbage dump, and the smoke from the fire spread to neighbouring districts of Kochi. The smoke was so intense that it caused breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and other health issues to the residents. The situation became so severe that schools and even some offices in the affected areas had to be closed.

Is this the tipping point?

The disaster and its impact points at how critical is to manage the waste in a sustainable manner. While Kerala sets many benchmarks in quality of life, education, healthcare etc, concerted efforts are required for waste and water management.

Kerala-named as God’s Own Country–receives rainfall for more than 8 months in a year, and yet faces drought every summer. The temperature lingers above 40 degrees starting February forcing the state government to issue precautionary directives to citizens. Heat strokes and related deaths are commonly reported a single column in the newspapers.

Climate change and cascading effect:

Shrinking seashores has a cascading effect not just on the livelihoods of people in the coastal areas but to the state economy as well.

The whispers about climate change are getting louder. But what are we doing about it?

For one, the Bhrahmapuram incident is not the first incident in Kerala. The state has witnessed issues related to solid waste dump yards earlier was well. Vilappilsala in Thiruvanthapuram, fire incidents in Brahmapuram earlier and incidents in Kozhikode.

Indore paving the way:

It is high time the authorities learn waste management lessons from Indore, the cleanest city of India. The local administration has worked very hard and collaborated with active citizen groups to create awareness about the importance of sustainable living and the importance of waste management.

The city’s state of the start waste management facility is capable of processing up to 600 metric tons of waste per day. The plant uses a combination of mechanical and biological processes to convert waste into compost and electricity. The compost is used as fertilizer for plants, while the electricity is used to power the plant and the city’s streetlights.

Indore has also implemented a program called “Waste to Wealth,” which encourages citizens to segregate waste and recycle it. The program provides incentives to citizens who participate in waste segregation and recycling activities. This has led to a significant reduction in the amount of waste that is sent to landfills.

Collective conscious:

Authorities are taking the lead in each state in water and waste management. The time is ripe for us citizens to do our bit for society. Let us start by reducing dumps in landfills.