Foul Air Death
The UK has recorded the world’s 1st foul air death or death legally certified to have been caused by air pollution. A 9-year old girl who lived near a busy road in London had passed away due to respiratory complications and an inquest is underway. According to WHO, air pollution contributes to 4.2 million deaths per year across the world. In addition to this, about 3.8 million deaths are due to household air pollutants. 91% of the global population live in areas with air quality that is non-compliant with the WHO guidelines.
What is the issue?
In February 2013, nine-year-old Ella Adoo Kissi-Debrah lived 30 metres from the South Circular, a busy congested aerial road in Southeast London. In 2014, an inquest found that she died of acute respiratory failure. In 2019, the family of the girl was successful in filing an application to the High Court to reopen the inquest. The second inquest was opened recently. This will conclude whether air pollution caused or contributed to the death of the girl.
Impact of Air Pollution
Air Pollution is considered as silent killer by the World Health Organization. More than 90% of the world children breath toxic air every day.
Air Pollution in India
21 out of 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India. In India 51% of air pollution is caused by industries, 27% by vehicles, 17% by crop burning and 5% by fireworks. At least 140 million people in India breathe air that is ten times over the safe limit set by the WHO.
The following measures were adopted by the Government of India to control air pollution in India
- In order to regulate air pollution, India passed the Air (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act in 1981. However, the act failed to reduce the pollution due to poor enforcement of the rules.
- National Air Quality Index was launched.
- In 2019, National Clean air Programme was launched.
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Month: Current Affairs - December, 2020