Open House: What should be done to check pollution and prevent mishaps like Giaspura Gas leak?

Use public transport, plant more trees

Nowadays, states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi are severely affected by air pollution which is caused by heavy traffic, high temperatures, burning of stubble, industrial and other consumer product emissions. Air pollution is harmful for humans. Various problems such as emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, lungs infections and cancer are caused due to air pollution. How can we control air pollution? To know about it, let us pose one question to ourselves. Are we really humans? If yes, then what gift are we giving to the coming generations. Anyways, some of the precautions to check pollution and other health-related issues are given as follows. Firstly, we should invest or purchase renewable energy which may help in the reduction of emissions from the power generating plants that heavily depend on fossil fuel. We should reduce vehicular emission by using public transport, proper maintenance of cars and walking instead of using vehicles, which may reduce smog. We should increase energy efficiency and conserve energy which may lead to reduced gaseous emissions into the atmosphere, something that often results in the formation of smog. We should use environment-friendly consumer products. Many products release hazardous materials into the atmosphere while also emitting particulate matter that reacts in the presence of sunlight to form ground level ozone. Each one of us should plant more trees and should keep our environment pollution free. Those who have the knowledge should make others aware of the benefits of pollution-free environment. One should take care of not only own family and areas but also surroundings.

Farzana Khan

New committee should plug the Lacunae

The National Green Tribunal has rejected the findings on the Giaspura incident appointed by the Punjab Pollution Board and has sought a new report. The new committee has the advantage of plugging in all weaknesses of the old report and must add in its report issues that were ignored by the first committee. This will make the second report wholesome and acceptable to all concerned. The real issue pertains to the death of the residents in the colony and the report must include a proposal for a proper punishment. The new report must include a detailed summary of the incident, causes, and remedy. It appears that it has become far easier to prepare a detailed second report by the new committee so that all feel satisfied with the new report.

Gautam Dev

NGT should form stringent laws

It is a matter of concern that in the name of development and modern lifestyle, pollution of air and water come out as a by product. Pollution is the presence of unwanted harmful gases and materials respectively in air and water which cause health hazards in people, animals and even in plants. The NGT pollution control board of the state should formulate stringent laws to curb this menace. In spite of being rich or poor, everybody is a citizen first. It needs to be understood that pollution affects all the persons. One must follow the three 'R' formula that is Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Ankit Kansal

Segregate waste at domestic level

As we know that air pollution is increasing day by day. In our city Ludhiana the air quality index is very poor. Air pollution creates various health problems such as asthma and lung cancer.Government should not permit any farmer to burn their crops. Their must be rotation of crops beyond paddy and rice. Farmers must be educated not to burn the stubble as it is one of the major contributors of air pollution. At domestic level we should segregate our waste and should not dump untreated waste into landfills which may omit copious amounts of methane and other toxic gases. We should use carpool instead of using our own vehicles, the government should make it mandatory or one must use public transport at least two or three days in a week. Government should clean up roads by using vacuum machines. There should be strict action or punishments for those industrialists who are polluting the environment. We all must cooperate to restore and to protect our environment.

Mohd. Saleem Farooqui

People should report violations

To prevent gas leak tragedies, it is important that the authorities ensure that all industries and factories follow the guidelines set by the National Green Tribunal and the Punjab Pollution Control Board. They should establish a system of checks and balances to ensure that industries and factories comply with the guidelines. Regular inspections can be conducted to ensure that the factories are following the norms. The administration must take strict action against violators and hold them accountable for their actions. Heavy fines should be imposed on violators to discourage them from breaking the rules. They should also create awareness campaigns to educate people about the dangers of pollution and gas leaks. The public should be encouraged to report any violations they witness. By taking these measures, the authorities can ensure that industries and factories operate in an environmentally friendly manner, thereby reducing pollution levels and preventing gas leak tragedies.

Tamanpreet Kaur Khangura

Increase forest cover

To check rampant pollution and avert such tragedies in future, the administration should take necessary steps immediately. There is need to take stringent punitive action against those who violate the environment laws. There should be increase in the forest areas to tackle pollution in future. The biggest obstacle problem of pollution, due to which our natural resources are being destroyed and the species of birds and animals are also disappearing. The farther we go from nature, the more the violent and vicious tendencies are growing in the society.There is still time for us to be careful, otherwise it will be too late.

Adish Sood

Need to set up Waste treatment units

On April 30 this year, Giaspura in Ludhiana was in the headlines. Eleven persons, including three children died of gas poisoning. As you enter Giaspura, you will find this area of streets littered with garbage, overflowing sewers and drains, shanties measuring about 12-15 sq yds with seven to 10 workers huddled inside along with their families. The dangling and naked power cables dancing in the sky are waiting for another tragedy to happen. The administration should not have issued NOCs for the establishment of factories in such areas as most of the factories discharge their effluents in the drains or in MC sewers causing pollution and creating toxic gases leading to such tragedies. Arrangements be made to shift such factories to other places. The units need to be persuaded to set up effluents or sewerage treatment plants to control pollution. An audit of all industrial units, laboratories, hospitals and drains across the city should be done to control such tragic incidents in future. Residents should install water taps at sewer connection points of their buildings to stop the inflow of poisonous gas, if any, in their houses from the sewer lines. As responsible citizens, we should reduce the use of detergents and other chemicals in our daily chores. The garbage should not be put on fire. The sewer lines should be cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis. The MC should rope in experts from the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and some reputed universities to form a policy to control the pollution. The guidelines from the NGT should be strictly followed in this respect.

RS Sembhi

Standard operating procedures must

Recently, the National Green Tribunal has rejected the report submitted by Punjab Pollution Control Board about the gas leak tragedy in the Giaspura locality of Ludhiana. It has erroneously left the culprits who are continuously polluting sewage systems with hazardous materials. How can the pollution board give a clean chit to these culprits, it seems that they are habitual of shirk work. It is a worrisome situation. How they can make fools of the people and authorities when many people have died with poisonous gases. Task was assigned by NGT to Punjab Pollution Control Board to fix causes and bring justice to the offenders of this tragedy. Pollution board has given free pass to the violators. National Green Tribunal rejected this notion and declared that it was unconvinced and ordered a fresh inquiry. There should be standard operating procedures based on state of art technology with experts on the subject, investigations should be time bound, there should be transparency in working and investigation of the team, no influence of political dispensation, supervision of NGT is paramount, strict punishment for those who don't do their duties diligently, municipal authorities should clean sewer lines regularly, remove and penalise the offenders, all staff members should be sensitive to the health of residents.

Sukhdev Sharma

Segregate industrial waste at source

All industries produce massive amounts of waste during the industrial processes, the majority of which are chemicals, industrial effluents, carbon and sulphur dioxide. Unfortunately, these wastes are dumped in sewage lines and on land without being properly treated. Thus, it becomes a large source of environmental pollution, and a threat to human life. A few months ago, a sudden release of high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide from an industrial dump in a roadside manhole in Giaspura killed 11 members and severely injured four others. What shocked people the most was when the Punjab Pollution Control Board , which formed a committee to investigate the matter, gave the polluting unit a clean chit and blamed the tragedy on the absence of vent shafts along the main sewer lines, which could have allowed the accumulated gases to escape. To avoid such tragedies in future, the government must ensure that industrial waste is segregated at the source into biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and hazardous waste categories. The collected waste should then be transported to waste management plants rather than being dumped in a haphazard manner.

Novin Christopher

QUESTION FOR NEXT WEEK

With stubble burning cases on the rise, the pollution levels in already polluted industrial hub of the state have started deteriorating further. What should be done to check pollution levels in Ludhiana?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected] by Thursday (November 2)

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Climate change #Environment #Pollution