What is Pollution?Causes of Pollution? Levels of pollution? effects of pollution?

Air pollution

Air pollution is becoming a major health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. In support of this observation, the World Health Organization estimates that every year, 2.4 million people die because of the effects of air pollution on health. Mitigation strategies such as changes in diesel engine technology could result in fewer premature mortalities, as suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Pollution is something that is prevalent in all parts of our country. To understand what exactly a pollution we should know about the problem of pollution.

Steps taken by our government

What is Pollution?

Pollution is defined as the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. In simple words when agents like air, water etc. gets contaminated with harmful particles it gives rise to Pollution. It is increasingly recognized that implementation of strategies to reduce pollution can have substantial health benefits.

For example, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed that the implementation of measures to reduce emissions from diesel engines could result in 12 000 fewer mortalities and prevent 15 000 heart attacks and 8900 hospital admissions in the United States each year.2 The aim of this review is to provide information on the impact of pollution on respiratory health, as well as to discuss strategies for reducing air pollution, as proposed in a number of clinical reports. Particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O3) pollution are major causes of concern in the community.

Types of pollution:

As we have seen above pollution is basically of 2 types:

1. Water Pollution

   

   Water pollution

2. Air Pollution

   

   Air pollution

Causes of Pollution

When we talk about pollution the first word that comes in our mind is the capital of India i.e. Delhi. Delhi is vigorously struck with the highest level of air pollution in recent years. The major reason we have seen in seen in recent years for pollution in Delhi are firecrackers and burning of crops (Parali) from neighbouring states.

These elements results in high AQI (Air Quality Index). The toxic levels of air pollution in and around Delhi is creating quite a menace. Adding to the severity, the changing weather conditions have locked the pollutants in the air and made the situation worse. Doctors are warning people of dire consequences and discouraging them from stepping outdoors. The reasons or causes for the pollution are:

1. National capital shares its border with the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. One of the main reasons of increasing air pollution levels in Delhi is crop burning by the farmers in these states. Farmers burn rice stubbles in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. It is estimated that approximately 35 million tonnes of crop are set on fire by these states. The wind carries all the pollutants and dust particles, which have got locked in the air.
    
2. Pollution caused by the traffic in Delhi is another reason for contribution of this air pollution and smog. The air quality index has reached severe levels. Vehicular emission is increasing the hazardous effects of air pollution and smog. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) have declared vehicular emission as a major contributor to Delhi's increasing air pollution.
    
3. Another reason of air-pollution is over-population in the capital. Overpopulation only adds up to the various types of pollution, whether it is air pollution or noise pollution.
    
4. Large scale construction of buildings in Delhi-NCR is another issue that is increasing the level of dust and pollution in the air. Considering the dipping air quality, a number of construction sites have stalled work, as directed by the Delhi Government.
    
5. Investing less on public Infrastructure is another reason of air pollution. In India, investment in public transport and infrastructure is low which leads to congested roads, and thus it results in air pollution.

Levels of Pollution

Air pollution

Pollution levels in Delhi-National Capital Region increased marginally on Tuesday, mainly due to slow wind speed.

The overall air quality index (AQI) in the city read 270. up to 252. Nehru Nagar was the most-polluted area with an AQI of 330 and Dilshad Garden (163) the least polluted. Neighbouring Ghaziabad (300), Greater Noida (268), Gurgaon (186) and Noida (259) also recorded a marginal dip in air quality. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 severe.

Weather experts said slow surface winds led to accumulation of pollutants and the intensity of rains will be the deciding factor . If sufficient rains occur. the pollutants will be washed away, while scanty rains could prove counter-productive.

Skymet Weather, a private forecaster, said patchy rains are possible over Delhi and NCR. Parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh will also get scattered rains.Pollution in Delhi and NCR is increasing once again. It may increase further .

Polluting particles 30 times finer than one human hair, that can enter the bloodstream and sicken or kill people--in Delhi's air were recorded at a 24-hour average of 625 microgram per cubic metre (µg/m3) of air, the seasons worst. This is 24 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO)-prescribed safe levels of 25 µg/m3 (24-hour average) and nine times higher than the laxer Indian standard of 60 µg/m3 (24-hour average)

Also see: Government Measures For Pollution

Air pollution is not only a winter problem. Year-round, the level (of air pollution) remains three times higher than the national standard. Unless we bring down the annual concentration significantly, health burden will not reduce, Dey told IndiaSpend. To fight air pollution, governments need not only emergency measures when pollution spikes, but year-round air pollution reduction drives across sectors.

During the first five days of November 2019, when the focus was on Delhi's severe level of pollution, it was not the worst-polluted among the nearly 100 cities across India that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors daily. On three (November 2, 4 and 5) out of five days, Delhi did not even make it to the list.

Yet, media attention was narrowly focused on Delhi. The government has a National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) with a target of reducing pollution by 20-30% across India by 2024. The entire Indo-Gangetic Plain has pollution levels at an annual scale more than double the Indian standard. Today, more than 76% of the population lives in places that do not meet Indian air quality standards. Unless we form an intersectoral plan, it will not work. We think that rural areas are not polluted, but studies have shown that emission from household activities (cooking and heating with solid biomass and kerosene lighting) has the highest contribution at the national scale, higher than contributions from transport, power plants and industry. NCAP is a good start.

We have Ujjwala programme running and its successful implementation would ensure a large reduction in the regional pollution level. Eventually programmes such as NCAP, Ujjwala, Smart City Missions need to be linked.

Water pollution

Effects of Pollution

1. Hazardous to Human Health
   Air Pollution threatens the human health in various ways. It causes lung disease and other respiratory problems. According to World Health Organization (WHO) report in 2013, it postulates air pollution causes two million premature deaths annually. Furthermore, the WHO report emphasizes that majority of the deaths are experienced in developing countries. Long-term exposure to air pollution also adversely affects the lungs of young and growing children and may worsen medical conditions among the aged people. Perhaps, this is the reason air pollution is perceived as a relentless and quiet killer.
    
2. Acid Rain
   When the particles, chemicals, and pollutant gasses present in the atmosphere chemically react with water molecules and oxygen, they form acidic compounds. These acidic chemical compounds then combine with various forms of precipitation such as snow, fog, rain, or sleet to form acid rain.
    
3. Eutrophication
   Eutrophication refers to the process whereby a water body acquires excessive concentrations of nutrients, particularly owing to runoff deposits of nitrates and phosphates. As a result, it usually encourages the dense growth of plant life and algae. When the plant life and algae die and decompose, the resultant organic matter quickly depletes the available oxygen in the water causing the death of animal life such as fish.
    
4. Other effects
   from the widespread effects of human and animal health as well as the impacts to the environment and vegetations, air pollution also affects our surrounding in several ways. At times when one takes a keen look at the streets of big cities, it is easy to spot how blackened some of the buildings look. The trend is widespread and evident even in places where power plants or factories do not exist. The blackening of the buildings is predominantly caused by exhaust and soot from cars, buses, or heavy duty tracks. Accordingly, it usually necessitates the need for repainting from time to time, further generating emissions from paints and chemical solvents. Besides, exhaust fumes contribute to acid rain that leads to weathering of buildings, corrosion of metals, and peeling of paints on surfaces.
    

Also see: Government Measures For Pollution