The rising air pollution level in Kashmir, particularly in Srinagar city, continues to get ignored. While, sometimes, it comes under discussion at experts’ level but no effective plan is formulated at official level to deal with this growing problem.
Subsequently, the environment and health of the people continue to get affected. There is a need to become serious towards the problem at government and non-government levels, and find an immediate solution.
Awareness campaigns must be run involving various sections of people. Services and views of experts must be utilised for a solution. If no step is taken and air pollution continues to increase, it can lead to more disastrous results.
Srinagar will be no different from other cities outside where the pollution is taking a heavy toll. In past people used to think that Kashmir is safe from air pollution. At that time the thinking was right.
But same is not the case right now. Various studies and researches reveal that there is a change on environmental front, and the change is not positive. Air pollution has started gripping Kashmir and more particularly Srinagar city.
The warnings of experts in this direction have to be taken seriously and immediate remedial measures planned, and implemented.
According to experts, the rising air pollution is because of various factors including burning of biomass for coal making, smoke from brick kilns and cement factories, dusty roads, diesel vehicles and waste burning.
The authorities will have to see how such factors are dealt with so that the air pollution is minimised. Otherwise, the pollution will continue to lead massive increase in health complications including respiratory cases.
A study says that upto 2019, around 10, 000 deaths in J&K occurred annually due to air pollution. Recently the doctors revealed that the Srinagar City has highest incidence of lung cancer in the country. Air pollution can affect every organ and cause many diseases.
It is upto the government and the people to see whether to allow this grim scenario on health front to continue or discontinue. Bringing down the pollution level is very much important.
Kashmir should not have such a pollution level. Unlike outside cities there are no big factories here which are often being blamed for air pollution.
Now the scene has started changing in the industrial sector as initiatives are being taken to set up industries here also to generate economy and employment.
It is being hoped that the authorities will see to it that the air pollution related issues are taken care of whenever industries are established here.