TRAFFIC MESS, AIR POLLUTION, NOISE, GARBAGE AND WHAT NOT. WE SUFFER ON MANY COUNTS, WE NEED TO ACT, SUGGESTS SYED NABIL

Srinagar Calls

Freedom from pollution is what we need and clean environment is what we seek. For more than half a century we the people of Kashmir have endured, protested, cried and struggled for better civic facilities. We have seen the good times and we have witnessed the worst of it. But, by ignoring small bits and pieces, we have slowly but surely let our motherland go to dogs. In the literal sense of the phrase with 100,000 dogs roaming the city streets the Municipal Corporation needs to come up with some amusing answers. Every day City hospitals attend to 2 to 3 cases of dog bites which is an alarming reality that needs to be dealt with. There might be many cases that go unnoticed and many who fall prey to rabies. Coupled with poorly lit streets, dogs have become a menace and made walking out in the evenings impossible. Children and women are the worst affected. As social scientists have prognosticated, the number of dogs will exceed the number of human inhabitants by 2020- a paradise for dogs. Wow.

Dogs would only be a small element of the compound problem facing our city. The poor drainage system, electricity problems, dilapidated roads, drying water-bodies, the list goes on. Our paradise demands our attention but strangely enough we are engrossed in our own activities. We are too busy to care. Who cares about the terrible condition of the roads in the city? Though Ali Jan Road has been repaired a great deal, but still it has many things more which need be done to make it more pliable. And the fact that the road connects the city to the premier health institution makes it more disappointing. Where we should have been looking forward to rushing the patients to the hospital in real time, the patients are in a constant fear of being stranded just meters away from their destination not to speak of ordeal they have to undergo while jumping over uneven surfaces. It is just a good example of how the government has dealt with the development of the city. This only adds to the traffic chaos that has been a recent phenomenon in Srinagar. Beside the absence of any traffic discipline the exponential increase in the number of private vehicles is putting an ever increasing pressure on the fragile roads. Moreover, vehicles of Security forces overstretch our already overburdened roads across the city. We have learnt to compromise with situations instead of finding possible solutions for the problems. The sight at Jehangir Chowk, Residency Road, Rambagh, and Shahr-i-Khas highlights the failure of the Traffic Police to cope a simple problem like traffic. There is lack of coordination between various government departments while executing different works in th city. One can see one agency repairing the road, another digging it next week, and yet third overruling both. Isn't it amazing that various agencies of a same government tend to work in different direction causing huge losses to exchequer?

If the terrible roads and chaotic traffic wasn't enough to persecute us, we have stray cattle roaming on the main roads providing a dismal sight of carelessness on the part of the municipal corporation. A great distraction and disruption in the flow of traffic, stray cattle find it convenient to loiter, sit and sleep on the roads. People also find it enjoyable to walk in the middle of the roads as the footpaths meant to accommodate pedestrians are plagued with vendors and hawkers. The law enforcing agencies usually find it hard to take notice because of their preoccupations or financial interests.

Although we have had a lot of talks about the dying Dal lake, the shrinking Anchar lake, diminishing Nigeen Lake and the pollution in Jhelum, but we have not seen any of the elected Governments putting words into action. The Dal Lake should top the priority list as it has seen itself reduce to 1/4 of its total area over the years. From 41 square km to just 9km, the lake has been crying for help but nobody is listening. One of the main tourist attractions, Dal lake has attracted people from all over the world for a least visit. The illegal encroachments on the Dal Lake are not hidden from anyone, still government after government fails to face the issue and take action. People remain unaffected as successive governments weigh down the importance of the water bodies to that of the vote-bank that the people living there constitute.

We are proud of our paradise but seldom do we care about it. We have been boasting of the beautiful climate, the fresh air, the pure water and the cleanliness that has been bestowed upon us. But as to how we haven't been able to realize our duties towards it remains a disturbing reality. The pollution of air, water and land has steadily achieved monstrous proportions over the years. We may run away from the facts but certainly can't hide.

The dust, motor vehicle emission, fire crackers, smoke from fires/smoking tobacco/use of artillery have adversely affected the atmosphere. An increasing number of cases of asthma, bronchitis, lung and heart disease and allergies are only associated side effects. To cope with air pollution, we first need to understand it.

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment, into the atmosphere. Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems. An air pollutant is known as a substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment. Pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. Primary pollutants include the carbon monoxide gas from a motor vehicle exhaust or sulfur dioxide released from factories. Pollutants are one of the causes of death globally.

The first step to solving the problem of air pollution is assessment: for measuring the type and amount of some serious air pollutants. Once exposure levels have been set, steps can be undertaken to reduce exposure to air pollution. These can be accomplished by regulation of man-made pollution through legislation. Prevention is another key to controlling air pollution. The regulatory agencies mentioned above play an essential role in reducing and preventing air pollution in the environment. One of the most dangerous air pollutants is cigarette smoke. Restricting smoking is an important key to a healthier environment.

A new problem facing the world is Noise Pollution. Noise Pollution is a type of energy pollution in which distracting, irritating, or damaging sounds are freely audible. Be it human or machine-created, noise disrupts the activity and balance of life. While traffic dons the cap of being the largest noise maker throughout the world, there are many others that add to it, making our globe susceptible to its effects. The effect of noise pollution is multi-faceted and inter-related. Traffic noise is the main source of noise pollution caused in our city. With the ever-increasing number of vehicles on road, the sound caused by the cars and exhaust system of autos, trucks, buses and motorcycles is the chief reason for noise pollution. Psychological and physical effects of noise at different decibel levels (db): {88} industry/city traffic - hearing impairment on prolonged exposure, {80} alarm clock - annoying, {65} average city traffic - intrusive.

Deafness, temporary or permanent, is one of the most prevalent effects of noise pollution. Noise of traffic or different types of horns; divert the attention, thus causing harm in the working standard. Fatigue caused is another effect of noise. Due to lack of concentration, people need to devote more time to complete their task, which leads to tiredness and fatigue. Noise pollution acts as a stress invigorator, increasing the stress levels among people. Noise decreases the efficiency of humans. Other effects are lack of concentration, fatigue, abortion (pregnancy requires peace and calm), increase in blood pressure, temporary or permanent deafness, etc..

Steps to control noise pollution include: reduce noise at source, prescribing noise limits for vehicular traffic, ban on honking in certain areas and planning main traffic arteries, creation of silent zones near schools and hospitals. Vegetation buffer zones must be created in different parts of the city. Efforts should be made for roadside plantations. As present, there is no specific and detailed legislation to control the noise pollution. However, there is an urgent need that the Government should manage to get a legislation passed for the control of noise pollution. There should be a city noise control code. Creation of unnecessary noise has to be prohibited and should be punishable under law.

The colossal amount of garbage placed on the city streets yet again proves the inefficiency of the civic bodies. In a city which generates more than 350 metric tonnes of garbage per day, the inadequacy in collection, inefficiency of transportation and improper disposal blatantly speak about the failure of the system at every level. There is not sufficient manpower (sweepers) to collect the waste besides unhygienic disposal of waste. 

Our city is ailing and the ailments are multiple. We need to take measures so that we get it cleaner, healthier. Sooner, the better. Only a timely action can save us, delay is dangerous.