Is the destruction of environment not an act of encroachment on the rights of all living beings of today and tomorrow? wonders PROF. SHAISTA BANO and suggests “Zero Tolerance” as the formula to save the life on the planet earth
With the onset of industrialisation has arisen the ecological crisis to pose a big challenge to the world. Many of man’s schemes designed to improve the condition of life are, in fact, ill-conceived due to the lack of appreciation and understanding of inter- disciplinary approach. The world is a cosmos, an ordered system and not a chaos. The Environment encompasses climate and its various components: plants, animals, human beings, oceans, rivers, mountains, all things found in the ground and atmosphere, all inter- dependent.
The pernicious activities of man and manmade machines, endangering the cleanliness of air, water and soil disturb and upset Nature. Consequently, Nature retaliates; floods, draughts outbreak of diseases, water logging, salinity and alkalinity of soil, air and water pollution and noise are some of its manifestations. The environmental crisis – the Ecocide of environment – is fast reaching its pinnacle and we seem to be tackling the pollution monster in too casual a manner.
There has been a sudden buzz around air pollution of NCR region in the last four or five months and Delhi’s air quality has been dubbed by many as the worst in the world.
Breathing in a Stroke (Indian Express, May 4, 2015)
Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment, but whether it is related to structural changes in the brain is not clear. Researchers studied the associations between residential long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and markers of brain aging, using magnetic resonance imaging.
The study showed that exposure to elevated levels of MP2.5 was associated with smaller total cerebral volume, a marker of age-associated brain atrophy, and with higher odds of cover brain infarcts. The findings suggest that air pollution is associated with insidious effects on structural brain aging even in dementia and stroke free persons.
Participants in the study in the United States were at least 60 years of age, and free of dementia and stroke.
Climate change could kill 1 in 6 of Earth species (Indian Express, May 2, 2015). Washington: One in six species on Earth could be threatened with extinction from climate change unless steps are taken to reduce global warming emissions, new research has warned. According to an analysis of more than 100 smaller studies, up to one-sixth of the species could disappear if climate change remains on its current course. Emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have boosted the global average temperature by about 0.8 degrees Celsius since the Industrial Revolution.
The main air pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (N2O and, NO2) ammonia (NH3), benzene vapours, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and microm level particulate matters (PM). Particles up to a size of 2.5 microm (PM 2.5) can be inhaled like other gases.
Carbon monoxide, a highly poisonous gas, reaching the blood circulatory system combines with haemoglobin (red colouring matter) of blood and converts it into carboxy haemoglobin (a cherry red compound) thus rendering the haemoglobin useless as oxygen carrier. If inhaled in its purse form, it first produces giddiness then unconsciousness and finally death. A concentration of one (1) in eight hundred (800) volumes of air will produce death in 30 minutes. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is also a highly toxic gas which corrodes the skin and on inhalation causes headache and sickness. Benzene vapours are very harmful and toxic and can produce unconsciousness. Its poisoning in the long term can prove fatal by destroying red and white blood corpuscles. Ammonia with characteristic pungent odour brings tears into eyes. It is used in ice-plants for refrigeration. The leakage of vast amount of ammonia in the wee hours of April 10, from a cold storage in the village of Navangarh, Iglas (U.P.), played a distractive role among the villagers, leaving one employee and 14 cows dead and many people and animals unconscious and sick (Inquilab, Urdu, April 13, 2015). Sulphur dioxide with pungent sulphur burning smell can cause inflammation of the lungs and induces asthmatical complaint.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is poisonous in nature. If inhaled in small amounts, it causes hysterical laughter (so termed as laughing gas). Mixed with oxygen, it is used as an anaesthetic. Large doses might prove fatal.
These poisonous gases have very very low permissible limits and are monitored by CPCB and DP CC regularly.
Carbon dioxide, a minor constituent of air (about 0.03% by volume), about 1.5 times as heavy as air, is very crucial as regards the life on earth. It is neither combustible nor a supporter of combustion. It does not support the life and animals exposed to it die due to the lack of oxygen. Large amount of CO2 are produced as a result of combustion of carbon and its compounds, fermentation of plants and their products. Animals breathe in oxygen and exhale CO2 (respiration). Decay of dead animal bodies also produces CO2, besides evolution from volcanoes. During day times plants take up CO2 from air and return oxygen (Photosynthesis) while at night plants take in oxygen and give out CO2. These opposing processes constitute carbon dioxide- oxygen cycle, keeping the percentage of CO2 practically constant in air.
Carbon dioxide, water vapours absorb long wavelength (2.5 – 15 micrometre (mm) infrared (IR) light. This heat trapping process caused by CO2, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide and many other greenhouse gases is termed as Global Warming or Green House Effect.
The increase in concentration of greenhouse gases results in global warming. Thus the temperature of the earth is slowly but steadily increasing. The greenhouse effect may differ in magnitude with latitudes and altitudes and seasons. The rise in temperature in Himalayan and Tibet regions is higher compared to that in other parts of the world. The world observes 5 June as Environment Day. As the 1972 Stockholm Conference for global efforts to protect the environment was organised on June 5, the World Environment Movement celebrates 5 June every year as World Environment Day.
The impact of air pollution is also delocalised as air accepts no barrier or boundary and so it is a matter of grave concern for all of us.
Many people pay respect to land and rivers as “Dharti Mata” and “Ganga Mayya”. The serious and positive measures to check and control the pollution of all rivers including the Ganga would be a step in the right direction. Over 500 years ago, the downfall of Mesopotamian Civilization was the result of environmental destruction. Then came the downfall of Sindh Civilization as the rivers there changed their course due to undesirable human activities. Ethiopia and Africa also suffered due to the same cause. Acid rains in Kuwait, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia are the result of burning of huge amounts of oil and heavy bombardment on Iraq. History stands witness to the havoc played of the innocent citizens there, especially children. Now the present crisis in that region is a cause of grave concern for the whole world.
Exploitation of mountains should also be stopped. Is the destruction of environment not an act of encroachment on the rights of all living beings of today and tomorrow?
In Islam the environment is a very vast subject and its protection has been given attention in very unambiguous terms. The cutting of green trees and destroying agriculture are prohibited even during war times. Polluting water reserves is condemned. So “Zero Tolerance” here is the formula to save the life on the planet earth. The consequences of unchecked and indiscriminate use of natural resources in the reckless race of industrialisation are inevitable. When man puts the heritage of Nature at the altar of industrialisation, disturbing the balance and harmony of environment, he must face its fury too.
[The writer is Former Principal, Women’s College, AMU, Aligarh]