BY THE EDITOR
Due to high rate of urbanisation and increase in industrial activities, towns and cities are becoming more and more polluted causing health hazards to the population. People have to face common problems like runny noses, sneezing, itching eyes and a hard time breathing due to pollutants in the atmosphere leading to chronic headaches, trouble getting pregnant, and even life- threatening diseases like lung cancer, strokes, heart attacks and severe asthma. All living creatures, including plants, need air for survival without which they will surely die. But as population increased at a rapid rate due to improved health care system so manufacturing units grew in order to support the various needs of people. However, these essential providers also emit poisonous air which poses serious health problems. Air pollution is becoming a global phenomenon due to rise in population in urban centres especially those with inhabitants of more than 50,000.
Coal and fuel oil that are burned to produce heat, hot water, light, power, and transportation create a major part of the pollution thereby affecting health and wellness of citizens. Some of the pollutants such as automobile exhaust gases are discharged into the air. Smoke from chimneys of apartment houses or power plants producing electricity enter the atmosphere at higher levels. In spite of advantage derived by human population yet the damage caused by air pollution is very high. So it is of much concern to the planners and administrators in finding alternative means to control emission, all sections of the society – doctors, scientists, engineers, meteorologists, botanists, etc. – need to pool their knowledge and outputs for the betterment of the society at large. Even common citizens are to be made aware of the environmental hazards because air pollution is becoming a silent, unseen killer.
Due to intense air pollution, two new words have been added to the English language – smog, a combination of smoke and fog, and smaze, a combination of smoke and haze. Tree plantation for environment has to be scientifically followed so that in case of fire it can be effectively prevented from spreading and causing damage. Towns and cities ought to be well planned and manufacturing units should be located not near human settlements. When people go out it is advisable to wear face masks and as far as possible to avoid crowded places. The health effects of air pollution can never be ignored and so should be seriously noted. According to scientific observations, about one – third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer, and heart diseases are due to air pollution. Therefore we ought to listen to what wise people said, “Prevention is better than cure”. Towns and cities of the state especially Shillong have become very crowded with traffic and pedestrians thereby polluting the atmosphere and hence government should take necessary precautions.