During recent years India has emerged as a economic super power. The emergence of India as an outsourcing destination has changed the face of many indian cities.The economic boom resulted in creation of better opportunities, rapid urbanization and a big change in the lifestyle of the people. Due to the short sightedness of our policy makers,the kind of infrastructure that was needed to support this economic boom and growing population fell grossly short. The end result these very nerve centers of our economy are choking to death with problems like pollution and congestion.
Infrastructure is very essential for economic growth and better life style. Getting clean air to breathe and clean water to drink are the basic rights of every citizen but people living in big Indian cities are deprived of these basic things due to pollution.
Road network is one important part of infrastructure but unfortunately was ingored by successive governments. The economic boom made things like motor cycles, cars affordable to common man resulting in the addition of millions of new vehicles on these roads but the road network was not improved to match the vehicular growth. The result congestion, traffic jams which results in pollution.
The air pollution in the major Indian cities has reached such alarming levels that one would find breathing difficult on roads during the peak hours. The traffic gets stranded for hours, moves at snail speed resulting in these vehicles emitting exhaust for more amount of time. A journey of 30 minutes few years ago takes 2-3 hours now-a-days. One can image the air quality at a busy intersection when thousands of vehicles are emitting poisonous gases like Carbon monoxide, Sulpher dioxide and hydrocarbons.
Adding to the air pollution is the high levels of noise pollution. Be it constant honking, band party's, audio coming from loud speakers etc, the noise leves are much much above the permissible level of 60-70 decibels.
The situation of water is no good. All the rivers that flow through major cities are polluted. Industrial waste containing highly toxic chemicals, sewage join these rivers when they pass though them making them hazardous to the people living around them.
The air and noise pollution are responsible for the rise in respiratory, digestive, skin and cardiac problems . Asthama, cancer, eye irritation, hearing problems and stress are the results of uncontrolled pollution. Imagine what adverse this pollution will have on the children.
Trees are the only source of fresh oxygen, they also help reduce pollution but instead of planting more trees we are cutting down trees in the name of urbinization and development. No matter how much of exercise, yoga you do but if the air you breathe and the water you drink are polluted then these things are of little good. We already see some people wearing masks in these cities. A day is not far away when we have to carry our own oxygen tank in order to survive.
The economic boom, better life style are good things but what good are they if your health is at stake. Having cars, eating fast food, multiplexes, malls are all symbols of economic growth but if the very air you breathe is poisonous then all these make no sense.
We have very well gone past the situation wherein we expect people to voluntarily take steps to curb this menace of pollution. The situation is so alarming that it warrangs some drastic measures by the governments and individuals on war footing. It is the duty of every individual whether living in India or outside to do something to fight this menace, otherwise these very pillars of Indian economy will be breeding grounds for chronic diseases and we will be a developed nation inhabited by sick people.
Infrastructure is very essential for economic growth and better life style. Getting clean air to breathe and clean water to drink are the basic rights of every citizen but people living in big Indian cities are deprived of these basic things due to pollution.
Road network is one important part of infrastructure but unfortunately was ingored by successive governments. The economic boom made things like motor cycles, cars affordable to common man resulting in the addition of millions of new vehicles on these roads but the road network was not improved to match the vehicular growth. The result congestion, traffic jams which results in pollution.
The air pollution in the major Indian cities has reached such alarming levels that one would find breathing difficult on roads during the peak hours. The traffic gets stranded for hours, moves at snail speed resulting in these vehicles emitting exhaust for more amount of time. A journey of 30 minutes few years ago takes 2-3 hours now-a-days. One can image the air quality at a busy intersection when thousands of vehicles are emitting poisonous gases like Carbon monoxide, Sulpher dioxide and hydrocarbons.
Adding to the air pollution is the high levels of noise pollution. Be it constant honking, band party's, audio coming from loud speakers etc, the noise leves are much much above the permissible level of 60-70 decibels.
The situation of water is no good. All the rivers that flow through major cities are polluted. Industrial waste containing highly toxic chemicals, sewage join these rivers when they pass though them making them hazardous to the people living around them.
The air and noise pollution are responsible for the rise in respiratory, digestive, skin and cardiac problems . Asthama, cancer, eye irritation, hearing problems and stress are the results of uncontrolled pollution. Imagine what adverse this pollution will have on the children.
Trees are the only source of fresh oxygen, they also help reduce pollution but instead of planting more trees we are cutting down trees in the name of urbinization and development. No matter how much of exercise, yoga you do but if the air you breathe and the water you drink are polluted then these things are of little good. We already see some people wearing masks in these cities. A day is not far away when we have to carry our own oxygen tank in order to survive.
The economic boom, better life style are good things but what good are they if your health is at stake. Having cars, eating fast food, multiplexes, malls are all symbols of economic growth but if the very air you breathe is poisonous then all these make no sense.
We have very well gone past the situation wherein we expect people to voluntarily take steps to curb this menace of pollution. The situation is so alarming that it warrangs some drastic measures by the governments and individuals on war footing. It is the duty of every individual whether living in India or outside to do something to fight this menace, otherwise these very pillars of Indian economy will be breeding grounds for chronic diseases and we will be a developed nation inhabited by sick people.
