Environmental crisis: Curse to Delhiites
Delhi is now in a position of extreme environmental crisis. This city is suffering the curse for the sins that it has committed to the environment. The increasing extremeness of the temperature, increasing water shortages, the higher usage of concrete and heavy constructions, lack of greenery and regular pollution in winter are now habitual to Delhiites. Environmentalists claim that breathing in Delhi will mean that you are constantly cutting down your total number of breaths for your life. All organisms including humans are now the victims of the environmental crisis in this megacity. Thus, the situation is so alarming that it demands urgent limelight. However, for no reason the topic is lying in vain which can have catastrophic ramifications for us.
Water shortage in Delhi
Delhi government on May 29 has directed to impose a fine of ₹2000 on water wastage. This decision has a background of water shortage that erupted in Delhi. Delhiites are now in a position to fight to get a bucket of water through tankers. Delhi water minister Atishi has written to Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Siani and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to release additional water for the capital for 1 month till the monsoon arrives.
Delhi depends on its neighbouring states for the fulfilment of 86.5 % of its water supply. The minister mentioned that the increase in water demand amid heatwaves and the gradual decrement of the level of Yamuna River’s lower-than-normal level of 674.5 feet are the main reasons behind this shortage. Yamuna River is polluted too with harmful Arsenic components in its refinement has an additional financial burden on the government.
The fatal heatwave attack
Currently, Delhi is also suffering from fatal heatwave attacks. The New Indian Express reported that 87 deaths have been reported due to severe heatwaves in Delhi. The situation is fatal as the average temperature is roaming around 50 degrees Celsius these days and breaking the records of climatic history. We can anticipate the major reasons behind it can be the increase in urbanization and a decrement in the green belt in the cities.
Hindustan Times reported that over 7500 trees have been cut down for Delhi-Dehradun highways. The attempts for the transplantation of trees and replantation remain futile due to a lack of post-plantation care for plants and trees. An increase in urbanization has raised the demand for concrete which tends to absorb the heat thus forming a trap. This tap is also responsible for increasing heatwaves that already have proved fatal. This gradual increase in temperature needs an alarming remedial measure to get rid of health problems arising here.
Annual pollution: Every citizen smokes here
Hindustan Times reported that breathing freely in the air of Delhi during winter means you are consuming at least 30 cigarettes every day. The cancerous atmosphere in Delhi is something that has been in the limelight for years, but no concrete measure has solved this issue inspired by the ‘intelligent’ attempts made to solve it.
The major source of pollution we can attribute to vehicular emissions and stubble burning in neighbouring states. This stubble can be controlled with the recommended scientific measure, but the only loophole that remains is in the system of execution. Although Grap measures and an odd-even system have been introduced to solve the environmental crisis in Delhi. Unfortunately, it failed to produce the expected results. This pollution is resulting in diseases including Asthma and other lung diseases that are gradually depreciating the average life span of Delhiites inside the borders of Delhi
What is the way forward to solve envrionmenatl crisis?
To solve this issue, we require strict and concrete measures here if we want to get a humane environment. Having clean Air and water is part of Article 21 of the constitution thus the urgent measures to get our nature back is the necessity of time.
- The water pollution in Yamuna requires some high-tech solutions. Recently Anand Mahindra offered help to anyone who can engage in startups of robots cleaning water. The government is already spending a lot on refining Yamuna water and on heavy machinery to clean it.
If we transfer that budget to procure AI robots and tools to automatically absorb the waste present, there and magnetically attract all iron-made objects. Then it can help to make the process faster.
- To solve the problem of air pollution, the only apparent way is to stop the burning of stubble. Thus, heavy investment in Recycling or collection of stubble is required here. Thus, a direction of funds can only solve the problem with present execution
- Green belts needed to be increased to balance the greenery loss here. Post-plantation care should also be the responsibility of a specially formed committee of government to at least allow them to grow feasibly.
Thus, in a nutshell, we shall conclude that we are in an era of environmental crisis that requires urgent attention. If we want to give a safe and healthy land to our next generation the topic which deserves the limelight must be provided limelight in the context in which it demands.
References
Freepik images, The New Indian express, The Hindu, Hindustan times, Pinterest images
