The air quality in Dhaka city has been deteriorating to a dangerous extent day by day. The capital city has reportedly topped once again the list of cities around the world with the worst air quality on Thursday morning. With an air quality index (AQI) score of 225, Dhaka ranked first in the list of cities with worst air. An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be 'unhealthy' while 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', posing serious health risks to residents.
In urban areas of Bangladesh, high levels of hazardous gas, dust and smoke emissions from factories and vehicles have contributed to the worsening air quality. The absence of widespread forest cover and the burning of waste, crops, etc have intensified the issue. People in Dhaka city with high levels of air pollution are experiencing problems with breathing, throat and eye irritation, and increased risks of cardiac arrest. It is worth mentioning that poor environmental conditions also affect one's mental health.
Environmental problems have long been in the forefront. Yet the authorities concerned hardly take any serious measures to limit the problem. They should urge factories emitting hazardous smoke to switch to renewable resources. Similarly, vehicles' emissions should be tested and if their smoke levels exceed environmental standards then vehicle owners should be fined. Public awareness campaigns should be initiated to discourage people from cutting trees and burning waste.
Sirazi Shahjahan,
Malibagh, Dhaka,
mshaju001@gmail.com