Occasions such as Feasts, Anniversaries, Independence days, Republic days, etc. are opportunities for us not only to celebrate and make merry but more so to take stock of what we have done and what we have failed to do and decide upon what corrective action we can take to undo the harm that we may have created by way of our inaction or bad decisions. As India completes 74 years of Independence, among many other factors that contribute to the development of our Nation, a look into our environment would not be out of place.
Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Laudato Si” of 24th May 2015, on ‘Care for our common home’ is a worldwide wake up call to help humanity understand the destruction that we human being have wrecked on the Environment and our fellow human beings. This document is in many ways the epitome of the Holy Father. It presents the Gospel truths with relation to the philosophical, theological and cultural causes that threaten the relationships of humans both with nature and other human beings.
When it comes to the Environment, the first question that comes to our mind is “What is environmental pollution ?”. This can be defined as any undesirable change in physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of any component of the environment i.e. air, water, soil which can cause harmful effects on various forms of life or property.
Let us now take a brief look at the various types of pollution that plague our society. Basically there are four main elements that humanity has been responsible for, to pollute our environment. They are Water, Air, Land and Noise..
The main causes of WATER POLLUTION are: MUNICIPAL WASTE WATER which is discharged from our homes which if left untreated can cause havoc to our ground water. Many of our water bodies in Goa in recent times have been the victims of such discharges. INDUSTRIAL WASTE from various factories that let out organic and inorganic pollutants into the soil. contaminate our water resources. AGRICULTURAL WASTES such as Chemical fertilizers and pesticides though essential for present day high yielding crops, if used in excess may reach the ground water by leaching or may be mixed with surface water of rivers, lakes and ponds by runoff and drainage. Oceans are the final sink of all natural and manmade pollutants. Rivers discharge their pollutants into the sea. This causes havoc with marine life which are a source of food and Oxygen. THERMAL POLLUTION which is caused by the rise in temperature of water. The main source of thermal pollution are the thermal and nuclear power plants. Various forms of Marine life both edible and non edible have been destroyed by cooling water from such plants.
With regard to AIR POLLUTION, any substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment is an air pollutant. Oxides of Sulfur and Carbon-Dioxide are caused by burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Acid rain and green house effect which results in Global warming is the consequence. These are some of the main causes of melting of ice caps, major storms and inundation of our coast-lines and low lying islands.
Urbanization and industrialization are major causes of LAND POLLUTION. Land pollution is the demolition of Earth’s land surfaces often caused by human activities and their misuse of land resources. Excessive Construction, Modern Agriculture, Domestic waste and Industrial waste are the main causes of land pollution. We must remember that each time we dump a plastic bag of domestic waste on the road side or into water bodies, we are contributing to this pollution.
World Health Organization stated that “NOISE must be recognized as a major threat to human wellbeing” Sound becomes undesirable when it disturbs the normal activities such as working, sleeping, and conversations. Honking, Loud speakers, boilers, generators, air conditioners, etc, add to the existing noise pollution. This can cause memory loss, severe depression, and panic attacks. High blood pressure, stress related illness sleep disruption, hearing loss, and productivity loss are the problems related to noise pollution, Noise pollution can damage physiological and psychological health. According to the USEPA (US environment protection Agency), there are direct links between noise and health affecting millions. To reduce Noise pollution, Factories and industries should be located far from the residential areas. Regulations should be imposed to restrict the usage of loudspeakers specially during festive seasons in crowded areas and public places.
Now let us have a brief look at what is happening in our country today, India’s emissions had increased from 1.1 metric tons of carbon dioxide per capita in 2001 to 1.9 metric tons in 2019. A general survey has revealed that nearly 70% streams and rivers in our country contain polluted water. Rivers of our country like Ganga, Jamuna, Hooghly, Godawari, Cauvery, etc., which were once very pure in their waters, are polluted to the extent of 70%. India was ranked the fifth most polluted country by WHO (2019), in which 21 among the top 30 polluted cities were in India. The Indian cities, on average, exceeded the WHO threshold by an alarming 500%. According to a 2007 WHO estimate, almost six per cent people in India suffer from hearing loss. Prolonged exposure to noise above 60 dB can lead to irreversible serious health implications as well such as, heart conditions, sleep disorders and cognitive impairment in children. According to a 2011 WHO report, sleep disturbance and annoyance were the major components of health burden due to noise. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”
It is time that as we enter our 75 year of Independence as responsible citizens of India, we resolve to do our bit both individually and collectively to avoid any form of pollution and also help to clean up our environment so that we leave a safer Earth for our future generations.
-Zita E. Viegas