A few days ago, I left home at midnight. That was not due to any threat from anyone but a significant threat from pollution. I forcefully packed my bag and sadly left home in a hurry. I was feeling uneasy, and my heartbeat increased. I sometimes faced this problem in Mumbai, so I kept multiple air purifiers and took oxygen puffs from small cylinders available on Amazon.
Pollution persists in all seasons, but it affects us more in winter due to the fog and smog in the atmosphere and the cold. A weak weather condition reduces our ability to escape the dust in the air. During the monsoon, raindrops settle the specks of dust down, even if there is. In summer, dust is more prevalent but settles quickly due to the heat. At the same time, chemical factories continue to release toxins at midnight, and the winds take them around, spreading them everywhere. We have no choice, and we hardly raise our voices. Over time, we forget that good health is our natural right, but compromise for many things.
Every person living in big cities is a victim of pollution, but we are busy and do not notice. Those who are aware avoid their morning walks because of the pollution. Availability of quality air is our right. Yet we remain silent, thanks to the polluters’ political clout and economic inevitability.
A few years ago, when I drove down from Navi Mumbai to Karjat, I used to enjoy the drive along the small but beautiful road, welcomed by the lush greenery. Today, the same route is a nightmare. Greedy politicians have ruined it by turning the road into a concrete mess. It remains incomplete and is constantly under construction, a never-ending process that profits from compromising our health and spreading bad air everywhere nearby. The concept of roads has changed; they are no longer for vehicles but solely for minting money and showing economic growth. It is an unnecessary adventure.
Pollution is increasing every day. Yet people seem unconcerned because they are busy with routine status updates and checking updates of others, scrolling through Instagram accounts to learn about new fashion trends and friends’ lives. Like me, I am sure other people are also facing health problems but are unaware of the reasons behind them. When they approach a doctor, they are unlikely to be told that their breathing troubles are due to poor air quality. Even doctors may not be fully aware of the situation; for them, it is a business, and raising awareness could jeopardise their profits.
Many people today suffer from chronic respiratory issues due to their poor living conditions, with many clear cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, the major cause of which is air pollution.
India is highly polluted, ranking third, just behind Pakistan and Bangladesh. We can feel proud of this when we compete to be a world leader and economic powerhouse, aiming to surpass Western countries like America, Europe, and Brazil. Our position is among the most polluted neighbouring countries, and there are many reasons behind this. Indians focus solely on economic growth and desire to surpass China in economic development, but we do not want to address air quality concerns as China does. We believe that for economic growth, we need to sacrifice physical fitness. Hence, we count GDP rather than considering the money we spend on medicines.
I have another shelter to move to at midnight, but many do not have the same option. I am aware of the reasons behind my health problems, but many are not. I can switch cities, but many cannot. At the same time, everyone has the same rights to clean air and water, but as Indians, we have no choice. We must live with this reality.