The air we city people breathe in is very unhealthy. The air pollution turns acute in the capital Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj cities during the dry season, which is over three times higher than the permissible level.
Air pollution kills many people every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. This is in fact nothing new for the dwellers living in capital Dhaka and its adjacent cities that they are experiencing terrible dust pollution.
As winter sets in, the pollution level in the capital has already started reaching its extreme level due to uncontrolled discharge of dust from construction works and road digging, posing serious health risks to the city dwellers. Dhaka on Sunday ranked second on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality, with an AQI score of 259.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Dhaka’s air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’, according to the air quality index. India's Delhi and Kolkata occupied the first and third spots on the list, respectively, with AQI scores of 417, 251.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', between 150 and 200 is 'unhealthy', between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Road dust becomes the biggest source of pollution in the capital, especially during the dry season for various reasons, including unplanned construction works, rundown roads and many other sources.
Last year, the High Court criticised the authorities concerned of the government for their failure in taking effective measures to control air pollution in Dhaka and surrounding areas despite its repeated directives.
But, the Department of Environment (DoE), Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, Gazipur City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation have not taken any effective steps to reduce air pollution yet.
The city corporations are well known that dust pollution intensifies every year during winter, but they have no preparedness and action plans to deal with the terrible situation. Apart from the city corporations, the DoE responsible for taking a proper plan to check dust pollution in the city is also reluctant in this regard.
Air
pollution also still remains
one of the top most
challenges for our country’s
major cities
Therefore, air pollution also still remains one of the top most challenges for our country’s major cities. Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, various studies say. The dust pollution is on the rise for lack of good governance, preventive measures, action plans, initiatives and enforcement of law.
So, the authorities concerned must spray water on major roads in the capital Dhaka and two other metropolitan cities to control the dust immediately. In this regard, DoE and city corporations should hold meetings with relevant departments and agencies to reduce dust pollution with coordinated efforts immediately.
Besides, relevant laws should be enforced strictly to force the builders and constructors to build roads and buildings following rules and regulations like covering construction sites and spraying water to control dust. Otherwise, the city dwellers will have to suffer a lot and brace for terrible dust pollution if proper steps are not taken to deal with it as early as possible.
The Environment, Forests and Climate Change ministry has prepared the draft of the ‘Clean Air Act -2019’. However, the act has not seen the light in the last five years yet.
Countless setting up of brick kilns and unplanned construction are two major contributors to air pollution. A lot of the brick kilns have been built without necessary clearance from the government agencies concerned. A highly volatile industrialisation, too, is also to be blamed for the situation.