Air pollution a challenge in Kashmir
News Kashmir Analysis
Kashmir valley which is known for its natural beauty allover the world has seen degrading air quality over the past few decades due to varied reasons. Delhi too despite being national capital has faced severe air crisis in past decades and it should be lesson for us in Kashmir.
concerns over the air quality of Delhi and its surrounding regions mount, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday announced that the government has set up a coordination committee to identify and address local sources of pollution at 13 locations in Delhi where air quality has touched the “very poor” mark.
The air quality becomes a special cause of concern especially in the winter months in Kashmir too .
Pollution is emerging as serious challenge to the country. Jammu and Kashmir especially once serene Kashmir valley is also in grip of it now.
pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and other diseases and are important sources of morbidity and mortality. It is a big global issue .
WHO data show that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures.
Few time back in worrying development and having Sounded an alarm, the Former Director SKIMS, Dr Parvaiz Koul had said around 10 thousands deaths in J&K are attributed to air pollution every year.
As a matter of fact, the sidelines of the launch of Doctors for clean Air and Climate Action, J&K Chapter, he said that yearly around ten thousand deaths are attributed to particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) exposure and there is need to control it by countering it.
According to World Health Organization The combined effects of ambient air pollution and household air pollution is associated with 7 million premature deaths annually. Sources of air pollution are multiple and context specific.
The need of the hour is we resort to massive tree planting in Kashmir to save ourselves from bad air quality.
