Page 16 - NIS English November16-30

Air Pollution Annual Recurrence

IN QUEST OF CLEAN AIR

Air pollution harms not only humans, animals and plants but inanimate
objects such as rocks, soils, buildings etc, as well. As the name suggests,

the Taj Trapezium ruling of the Supreme Court in 1996 had at its heart the
deleterious effects that the air pollution had on the monument’s health. To
curb the menace of air pollution, the Government is pursuing a programme

of focussed, collective and concerted action

ccording to the World Health Organisation
(WHO), air pollution kills more than 38 lakh
Apeople every year across the world. More than
90 per cent children in the world are forced to inhale
polluted air. India has 14 of the most polluted cities in
the world. A thick blanket of smog envelopes several
parts of north India around Diwali and with the on-set
of winter. The menace of air pollution has acquired
more sinister dimension this year in view of the
COVID-19 pandemic. However, amid all this gloom,
there is some reason to cheer. The Government has
taken several measures to fight air pollution even as
it stressed that there is no magic wand for mitigating

India is both aware of, as well as, involved in finding
solutions to pollution. We are leaving no stone
unturned whether it is the Swachh India Campaign,
smoke-less cooking gas, LED campaign, CNG-based
transportation, or electric mobility. We
are emphasising on increasing the
use of ethanol to reduce pollution
caused due to petrol… We are PM PRAISED PUNJAB
working on a holistic approach to FARMER
reduce pollution in selected 100 In his Mann Ki Baat in October 2018,
cities through an integrated Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised
approach and modern Gurbachan Singh a farmer of Punjab.
technology with people’s While fixing the marriage of his son,
participation Gurbachan Singh urged the bride’s family
-Prime Minister to promise that they would not burn
Narendra Modi

14 New India Samachar