On a Diwali night several years ago, a friend of mine remarked, “Just see, there will come a time when we will have to buy clean air.” The time has come indeed. India's capital Delhi recently made it to the top spot as the most polluted major city in the world as per Air Visual data on World Air Quality Index (AQI) rankings.
For those who have visited or stayed in Delhi already know how congested and polluted the city is. Over the years, the city has lost its charm as a clean and green city. Instead, it is becoming infamous for the rapid deterioration of its living environment, particularly the quality of air. But it is not just Delhi; the World Health Organisation (WHO) has put 10 Indian cities in the list of top 20 most polluted cities in the world. Some other data show that smaller towns in India are much more polluted than the cities.
The situation is not much different in Nagaland. Kohima and Dimapur particularly are fast becoming highly polluted cities. One can already feel the deteriorating air quality in our towns. Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) in a report published some years back informed that the air quality of Dimapur crosses permissible limits during the day, particularly during the winter season. The study also warned about the risk of respiratory illnesses due to deteriorating air quality. Doctors in Nagaland are already seeing an increasing number of respiratory illnesses among children and the general populace. Studies indicate that even 'satisfactory' level of air quality can cause minor breathing problems. These are stark indicators that measures must be taken to tackle air pollution.
Much effort is needed to curb the rising levels of air pollution in our cities. Dust is a major problem. Bad road conditions, increasing number of vehicles and traffic congestion are some of the major contributing factors. During the winter season, it becomes almost impossible to walk around without covering our nose. While the DMC has machines to clear dust from roads occasionally, it is still grappling with other sanitation problems like garbage burning which affect the quality of air.
To think that our cities would not reach a point where air quality becomes hazardous is the denial of the existing problem itself. The cities will grow and they will get more polluted. No doubt, Nagaland had lots of greenery to acts as buffer zones; but so does Delhi. Trees alone cannot combat the deterioration of air quality.
Nagaland must take lessons from Delhi and other places. There must be a strong policy in place to curb actions leading to pollution. Starting from proper urban planning and sanitation; better roads; and better traffic management, curbing of human-induced pollution must be taken as a serious issue, lest we too land up shutting down schools.
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