Impact of Air Pollution

Unplanned development has led to air getting more and more polluted over the years and Industries, Vehicles, Agricultural activities and urbanization are some of the major factors responsible for it in Punjab. Air pollution has adverse impacts on human health, plants, animal, materials and and as well as , in its global implications like depletion of the ozone layer, green house effects, etc.  Air Pollutants usually enter the body through the respiratory system or skin and may affect specific organs as given below :  

Affects on Human Health  

Source: Adapted from Stern, 1968

Affects on plants, animals and goods  

Air pollution also affects plants, animals and material goods. The food, foliage and ornamental crops harmed by air pollutants show chlorosis and necrosis and decreased yield.  Some of the substances  responsible for plant  damage are ethylene, sulphur dioxide, acid mists , fluorides , ozone and a number of organic oxidants.SO2 fumes, iron and copper smelter can bleach and cause interveinal blotching in wheat, cotton, and in apple etc. The animals are mainly affected by fluoride, CO and hydrocarbons, which result in fluorosis of bones and teeth and pulmonary diseases, heavy metal  toxicity, etc.  Further, other material goods are also adversely affected by air pollution. SO2  speeds up deterioration of marble and limestone (the potential damage to Taj mahal of Agra from Mathura refinery is a perfect example).  

Mitigation of Air Pollution 

Suggested Mitigation measures for controlling air pollution are:

1.Use of clean & efficient fuels (like CNG) and regular maintenance and check up of vehicles for their emissions. Lead free petrol has been introduced in the state.
2 Adoption of low waste technologies and use of particulate removal devices like bag filters, electrostatic precipitators and scrubbers  in industries for end of pipe treatment.
3. Use of  gas  removal devices using absorption,(activated carbon absorbers) adsorption( molecular sieve) and catalytic converters.
4. Planting of  green belts.
5.Use of tall chimneys for  release of pollutants into upper layers of the atmosphere so that air near the   ground remains clean.
6. Ban on burning of rice husk in the fields and promotion of its mulching and composting. 

                          With the alarming increase in the atmospheric pollution in the state in the last two decades, there is an urgent need to take collective measures both, by public and government, to save its ecology for the sustainable development in future. Environment awareness and education needs to be promoted to promote voluntary people's participation for environment protection.