Environment is a very broad term. It includes all that is above, below and around us. Environment is everything that surrounds us. It plays a crucial role in human life as in the development of society. Mankind is a part of nature and every life is dependent upon the uninterrupted functioning of natural system. It is a fact that today almost every country in the world is facing the problem of environmental pollution. Environmental pollution means presence in the environment of any pollutant which is likely to cause or which is causing pollution or degradation. Thus environmental pollution means deterioration in the quality of air, water, land etc. Man’s most destructive enemy is man himself because he pollutes the environment in which he lives. In this way he creates the hell of his own determination.
Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, has rightly remarked, “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not to satisfy every man’s greed”.
Air pollution according to WHO is the presence of materials in the air that are harmful to man and his environment. Air pollution is mainly of two types—Particle pollutants like smoke, dust, mist, fume etc. and Gaseous pollutants like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, ozone etc.
Industrial inputs like carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, chlorine etc.; domestic pollutants
from fossil fuels burnt by humans; automobile exhaust or vehicular emissions, industrial wastes, suspended particulate matter like fine dusts and soot emitted by industrial units all pollute air. The Earth is finite and a finite Earth can support only a finite population. However, today there is explosion of population. Each human being is creating a new burden on natural resources. Urbanisation means migration of people to urban areas in search of jobs, due to attraction for city life etc. Cities become densely populated. Industries are the main cause of air pollution. Industries require raw material due to which there is unbridled clearing of land, deforestation. Industrial activities leave untreated effluents in land, air, water which result in damage of ecology in that area and pollution. The air we breathe becomes polluted in various ways. The rural folk use cow dung, wood and farm waste for cooking their food, giving rise to such pollutants as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, etc.
Urban areas, particularly large cities like Delhi and Mumbai account for the worst level of pollution. Motor vehicles, power plants and refineries also emit carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, etc. as well as dust particles. These dust particles get into our lungs. Fine dusts contain poisonous and heavy metal oxides, which lead to cancer of the digestive tract and many pulmonary diseases.
The presence of sulphur dioxide and nitrogenous oxide in the atmosphere causes acid rain that affects flora and fauna and soil fertility. Acid rain is harmful to aquatic plants and animals also. Carbon monoxide having affinity with haemoglobin when enters blood replaces oxygen from oxi haemoglobin and thus increases concentration of carbon dioxide in blood causing headaches, breathing problems and death. Ozone, which also causes smog, is toxic for plant growth and harms human health. Carbon dioxide causes global warming. Acid rain affects our monuments and statues made of marbles. It is apprehended that the fabled Taj Mahal would be irretrievably affected by the winds carrying sulphur dioxide from Mathura Oil Refinery. Ozone layer absorbs the harmful UV radiation coming from the Sun. Disturbance in the ozone layer leads to increase in the incidence of skin cancer, eye ailments, damage to immune system. As the population records a spiralling growth, man is busy cutting down trees and clearing forest for locating new towns and industries. Consequently, the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases. This has already resulted in the warming of Earth and significant loss of rains.
In order to reduce air pollution, carpooling, reducing or restraining number of automobiles are some of the measures that are adopted. Also, recycling the products, ban on bursting of crackers, introduction of clean technologies and strict enforcement of pollution control laws are needed. Urban planners must locate residential, commercial and industrial zones suitably. Problems should be identified at regional and local levels and treated accordingly. Solar power produced from the energy obtained from the Sun; Geothermal energy, the naturally occurring thermal energy produced by the earth’s molten inner core can be used. Environmental education must be delivered among masses. People must be aware of the causes and hazardous effects, otherwise they will not make efforts to reduce pollution. In a PIL filed by Mr. M.C. Mehta, the Hon’ble Supreme Court directed CBSE to make environmental studies compulsory. It is an irrefutable fact that environmental pollution can be curbed to a considerable extent by bringing awareness among people.
The Air Pollution Act, 1974 is the result of motivation derived from Stockholm Conference. It provides for establishment of boards at both State and Central levels to abate air pollution and penalties for offence committed in non-compliance with the provisions of the Act. Similarly, the Municipal Solid Wastes Rules, 2000 and Biomedical Waste Rules provide for proper handling of domestic and medical wastes respectively.
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is an activity to evaluate the possible impact of an anthropogenic activity on environment. Social impact assessment involves the public before commencement of any development project is proving beneficial in tackling environmental problems with ease. These methods are preventive in nature. The polluter pays principle is incorporated by the Supreme Court in many cases. The polluter is absolutely liable to compensate for harm caused to the environment and reversing the damaged ecology. The success of any law depends upon its implementation. Various international treaties have been conducted addressing and covering almost every aspect of environmental pollution.
Researches are underway for devising new methods to control environmental pollution and protect this
planet. The people must realise the hazards of pollution and join in the government efforts in protecting their environment. In this context, the Chipko Movement, started by Sunderlal Bahuguna in 1973 in the Himalayan Foothills of Uttar Pradesh, has received worldwide acclaim as an exemplary instance of environmental action by the people themselves. The need of the time is to organise a mass movement to protect the environment, else we shall all perish. “One person alone cannot save biodiversity but each individual’s efforts to encourage nature’s wealth must not be underestimated”—United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has rightly observed.