How can the lifespan of people be increased by reducing air pollution?

We will take climate change initiatives very seriously, and will work with the global community and institutions in this regard. We will audit the ongoing projects and eliminate pollution in cities and townships on a scientific basis. Pollution control mechanism will be established on priority basis.

Uncompleted promises

By taking better action, we will reduce pollution levels in every city by at least 35% in the coming years.

However, living in Delhi and breathing its polluted air, he should have understood by now that the promises are still the same and only promises.

In cities with a population of more than one million, where it is believed that the National Clean Air Program has worked wonders, people are still forced to breathe bad air and the BJP is engaged in self-praise. .

Burden of diseases

India has the highest number of respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (50% of all cases in the world), asthma (13% of the global burden) and rising cases of cancer across the country. And India's air pollution is entirely responsible for strokes.

The result is that today the life expectancy of people in cities has reduced by almost 9 years. Even according to the World Economic Forum report, India has to pay Rs 7.91 lakh crore annually for air pollution.

While the National Clean Air Program that the BJP promised in its manifesto was officially launched in 2019, it covered the 131 most polluted cities.

However, due to gross negligence of the government, this program has become a non-starter.

When India hosted the G20 with much fanfare, the Modi government had claimed that India, the 'world leader', was ahead on every scale of development, but the truth of the miserable living conditions of the people of our country is now in front of everyone.

World Health Organization (WHO) safety standards state that the annual average concentration of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 ug/m3. India is not even close to the safety zone, hence people are helpless victims of the pollution crisis.

Driven by power and corporate greed, the party in power has never bothered to revisit the promises made to the people.

If you look at the amendments made in the laws related to forest and environment brought by the Modi government in the country, then you will understand that all those reforms are not for the protection of the environment, but for the destruction of forests and environment.

Like the Great Nicobar Development Plan, it is an attack on the biodiversity richness of the islands, which will have a devastating impact on the state of India's air, water and environment.

The Central Vista Project, which was much boasted about by BJP, has caused unimaginable damage to the air of the capital.

Thousands of trees have been destroyed in Lutyens' Delhi for this project worth Rs 20 thousand crores. To decide on the Central Vista project, the government openly disregarded building laws in the country, and took advantage of the old Government Building Act of 1899.

Pollution from indiscriminate demolition (recently, 80,000 tonnes of debris was dumped in Noida) and carbon dioxide emissions from the increasing number of vehicles (more than 3.38 million private cars in Delhi in 2021) cannot be ignored .

Yet, the discussion on air pollution by the government and the political forces behind it always revolves around ‘straw’ burning and ‘irresponsible’ farmers.

The greed for capital as well as the greed for development is reminiscent of the first chapter of the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx in 1848.

Karl Marx, in his Manifesto, described bourgeois government (19th century) as an "executive committee for management". Ordinary affairs of capitalists” This is true even in the era of LPG i.e. liberalisation, privatization and globalization.

Practice worth testing

Due to the current and worrying situation of air pollution in the country, there is an urgent need for proactive planning by the government to protect life expectancy.

The government should understand that people and their lives are paramount, not the benefits of government relations. If the government is serious then it should find time in the winter session of Parliament to discuss the serious crisis triggered by the horrors of air pollution.

There are many considered best practices in many countries such as 'Wind Path Forest' and India's own concept of "social forestry". This is the time to work and give hope to people.

The Prime Minister should immediately call an all-party meeting to ensure safe air and environment and prepare the ground for India's fight. If the government is serious about the fight for clean air, it should ensure that the issue is discussed in the winter session of Parliament.