Pollution – Beating us Black and Blue !!!

Every average Indian office goer has a typical routine. The moment we get ready and out of our homes towards our places of work, each one of us have these experiences typically.

We pass through that corner vacant plot that’s piled with the ever growing, incessant heaps of garbage (most of which is non recyclable), emanating stench that’s hard to bear. We move a little ahead and come across a municipal corporation worker sweeping the street and burning a big pile of accumulated garbage releasing the choking smoke and fumes. And once we are out on the main road, we get welcomed by the never ending traffic jams . A few minutes into the jam offer a nice cocktail of the best available poisonous gases that can kill !!!! And not to forget the once favourite lake everybody liked to go to, for a stroll on the banks that has turned now black and dirty.

Pollution has been the buzz word doing rounds in the tabloids, primetime, conferences – national and international. Despite so much hue and cry on all available media actually and apparently, very little seems to be have been accomplished in controlling it. At least that is what the latest study from the Lancet, a reputed medical journal suggests.

According to this study, in 2015, pollution led to 2.5 million premature deaths in India – the highest in the world, followed by China.

If the statistics are to be believed, pollution caused more deaths as compared to smoking and thrice the number killed by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. It killed more than the number killed in road accidents, and 15 times the number killed in war or other forms of violence, according to GBD tallies. Globally, the death graph hit the 9 mn mark for pollution related deaths.

Air and water Pollution are the two prominent forms that lead to multiple diseases and medical conditions in humans. Just to name a few :

Air Pollution

1. Asthma – caused due to inhaling poisons gases and polluted air
2. Cardiovascular Diseases – caused by the particulate matter suspending in the pollute air
3. Cancer – Most pollutants are carcinogenic. Thus, leading to the cancer of lungs, liver, blood etc.
4. Bronchitis – Inflammation in the lining of the bronchial tubes that carry air to and from the lungs.
5. Pneumonia – An infection in the lungs caused due to inhaling of the particulate matter in air.
6. Weakened Immune System
7. Birth defects

Water Pollution

1. Typhoid – caused due to drinking contaminated water.
2. Diarrhoea – could be caused by the infection causing bacteria in polluted water.
3. Hepatitis A and E- Inflammation of liver caused by ingestion of contaminated food and water.
4. Gastroenteritis – Caused by viral or bacterial infection in stomach and intestines. These bacteria are ample in polluted water.
5. Neurological Disorders – Due to contaminated food and water.
6. Encephalitis – Inflammation of brain because of viral infection.

The Solution

We discuss on the solutions time and again but the secret to their effective implementation is to consider them as inherent parts of our day to day life and not as something being done specially for a specific cause. A few of them are :

1. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle whatever, whenever and wherever its possible.
2. Plant more trees, minimise wastage of non renewable natural resources.
3. Segregate garbage and ensure there’s no littering.
4. Use electronic items judiciously.
5. Keep your homes well ventilated, avoid use of harsh cleaners/ chemicals and have indoor plants.
6. Use biodegradable stuff.
7. Carpool, use public transport and have your vehicular emissions checked periodically.
8. Avoid honking.

Lets do our bit to save our planet. No matter, how much we endeavour to search for life in the outer space, our EARTH is still the only home we have. Lets take care of it.