It was quite a disturbing report recently which indicated a massive increase in the level of air pollution and related deaths. The report published by the internationally acclaimed Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health following an extensive research stated that over nine million people are dying every year across the world due to unhealthy air. While the figure itself is staggering, the findings are more dangerous.
Lancet medical journal which published the report based on research in developing and developed countries, underlined that air pollution is worsening everywhere with threats to kill more people than in war or natural disasters or even smoking. Lancet is an initiative of the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution and coordinated by international organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Bank as well as several leading universities around the world.
It is undeniable that human activities have been contributing to the degradation of air quality in our habitat. It has come up to be regarded as the largest environmental cause of disease and premature deaths in the world today. The Lancet commission researchers have found out that diseases caused by air pollution were responsible for 9.0 million premature deaths in 2015 which is about 16 per cent of all deaths. No doubt this is alarming.
Air pollution is a silent killer. It affects the vulnerable and mostly the children. Again, it is in the developing or under-developed countries that the situation is worsening fast as they lack awareness, control and management mechanism, and above all, holistic policies. In many cases, there are enough regulations but often those are overlapped by corruption and implementation flaws.
The case in Bangladesh can be considered here. Evidences are crystal clear that its air quality is one of the poorest in the world, particularly in the urban areas. According to studies conducted by different universities and concerned agencies including the World Bank, the city of Dhaka is beset with a grave air pollution index. In fact, it is at times ranked below that of Mexico City or Mumbai or Manila. The amount of hazardous toxic particulates released in the air is higher in Dhaka than in those cities.
One obvious reason is the vehicular gas discharges which seem to be growing faster with the number of motorised vehicles turning up on the road each day. However, emissions from brick-fields around the city as well as stubble burning in the farmland nearby are also the major contributors.
Poor air quality compels the spread of various diseases like asthma and other respiratory irregularities. A study by the National Institute of Diseases of Chest and Hospital a few years ago revealed that over seven million people in the country suffer from chronic asthma while most of them are children. This figure would definitely be higher given the fact that there has been an increase in population as well as number of vehicles.
In the rural areas, the main cause of air pollution could be stubble burning, use of diesel generators for irrigation and river transport. However, cooking practices in traditional systems also has a good stake.
As the recently released State of Global Air Report 2017 stated, Bangladesh experienced the steepest increase in air pollution levels between 1990 and 2015. This, along with the visible evidences around and the reports of related increase in deaths and illnesses, should be enough to compel an immediate action plan. It should encompass rigid preventable measures as well as mass awareness.
We have the right to breathe well!
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