Climate Change Adds To Poverty @ Strokes; Sounds Surprising?
- Part 1 -

S Kunjabihari Singh *

A 188-nation study published in 'The Lancet Neurology' estimated that almost a third of the stroke burden, roughly 15 million cases a year, in our country, can be attributed to 'air pollution'. Car exhaust and dusty homes could be the culprits, according to "Global Burden of Diseases Study 2013", done by the 'Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation'.

The Lancet study found that top 5 reasons for Indians getting stroke, (estimated at around 3,000 and 4,000 everyday) were high blood pressure, diet low in fruit, household air pollution, diet low in vegetables and high salt consumption. This study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, also concluded, "Air pollution has emerged as a significant contributor to global stroke burden, especially in low-income and middle-income countries".

Given this near-realistic observation, are not we exposed to the greater peril of this looming menace? Are not then we the common man need be conscious of and think about remedial measures more than any time in the past? Yes, we need to contribute to stall any worsening of the environmental degradation however small, it could be, in our own simple ways. The past four or five decades had seen a succession of environmental health warnings and consequent programmes to combat.

A series of environmental protection and pollution control laws have been launched since the early seventies. Standards for air and water quality have been set, measures initiated to contain. More worry some is the growth of polluting sectors of the economy such as industry and power which would, in any case, outpace any benefit generated by the enforcement of these control measures. To cap it further, the population pressure, in milder terminology, demographic stresses, are on the rise and would continue to burden so.

India's population extrapolated at 1.27 billion by 2046, another 30 years from now would surpass China's. Density of population at 360 per sq. km. now is estimated to be around 500 by 2050. The overall impact on the atmosphere would be terrific unless the dozen or so pollution control measures are implemented in a hurry and that too, religiously.

Compounding this scenario is global warming; erratic rains, more at variance than at any time before. Added to this could be the scarcity of water, fresh water over the years. India's water crises are deepening. Manipur cannot be far behind though exact estimates are not around. Per capita availability of water is reportedly just around 1,400 cubic meters per person now, considered bare threshold level.

The alarming situation is the projected availability of just around 1000 cubic meters by 2050. This sounds frightening recalling that in 1950, water availability per capita was 5000 cubic meters. The fall in availability of water per capita from 1950 to 2015 is an alarming 70%. This trend again accelerates the worsening of environment to a considerable level.

The earth needs to preserve the biodiversity - the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a habitat. Our state too has lost its biodiversity to a significant extent. We had lost once for all, the birds that we lived together in our childhood days, the crows so common in the leikais…..The wild ducks feeding at the Loktak Lake in winter months are no more seen to the extent we could see or hear about. These wild birds reportedly come all the way from Siberia to seek warmer weather for habitation that includes breeding.

Instances are aplenty where we had lost precious biodiversity. These losses cost to the environment, the ecology in all possible ways. But this loss is not exclusive preserve of Manipur; it is a world phenomenon. What is therefore crucial is how this change can be arrested, nurtured to strike a balance between economic development and environmental degradation.

Having a range of different plant and animal species would help guarantee the health of the earth. Researchers at the University College, London based their study on data from studies of hundreds of international scientists to arrive at an approximate fall of global biodiversity to the extent of 84.6%. The study also hinted at the possibility of significant loss of level of biodiversity enough to question the ability of ecosystems to support human societies in the near future. They are now engaged in study of how biodiversity has changed over time particularly since humans arrived and built on land.

During the first week of this month, July,2016, The Union Ministry Highways have rolled out a project, 'Adopt a Green Highway' on the lines of 'Adopt a Highway' in the United States. It aims at boosting green cover along highways across the country. The Centre estimate that around only 10% of the Indian Highway network has green cover on both sides.

This innovative scheme aims at greening 2,000 km at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore. They plan to rope in Corporates, PSUs, Educational Institutes and CSOs to adopt stretches for plantation and maintenance for a minimum of 5 years. Yet a second scheme, 'Kishan Harit Rajmarg Yojna', the National Highways Authority of India will provide technical and financial support to farmers for plantation in portions of their farmland along highway stretches.

Imphal-Dimapur stretch is 230 km. The governments of Nagaland and Manipur are eligible to ask for Rs 34 crore for the entire length of plantation at Rs 15 lakh per km. According to Nitin Gadkari, the Highways Minister, 1 km of greening can generate employment to 10 persons, with target for 1 lakh jobs in the country. Even where the Government of Manipur is capable of covering the stretch from Mantripukhri to Sekmai, we will stand benefitted. The greater issue is how the NGOs and PSUs in the state could be motivated to come forward for the 5-year project, given the poor level of public response typical of this state, more so for the NGOs.

Ten states have responded promptly. Haryana signed agreement for 415 km, Jammu & Kashmir for 100 km, Telengana for 150 km, Andhra Pradesh for 360 km, Madhya Pradesh for 150 km. Even our NER's big brother, (is it sister?) have signed for 50 km last week. Is our state listening knowing full well that we have 2 highways of which one is even claimed to be Asian Highway 2?

There apparently is a silver lining visible from a distance. Pollution Control Board report recently points to improving India's urban air quality. Levels of PM 10 or Coarse Pollution Particles have reportedly dipped over time in some cities. The reason attributed is the superior vehicle emission standards.

This parameter may not, however, hold good for our 'Sana Leibak', where, the mass deployment of aged, nearly condemnable auto-rickshaws in their thousands on every roads leading to Imphal, add to the woes. And these menaces are on the rise. An easy solution is not in sight even in the distant future; the lethargic execution of emission control norms, wanton issue of permits even for old vehicles even far exceeding the absorbable number.

A recent study sponsored by the Tourism Ministry in 2015 about the level of cleanliness index of tourist destination-cities across the country reveals that Imphal ranks 17th with a score of 62 lower than Guwahati at 12th with cleanliness index score of 65. Paradoxically, Shillong, known as the Scotland of the East, is in the list of the dirtiest with a rank of 33 scoring just 51 cleanliness index.

Gangtok is the cleanest city in the country with score of 76. Aizawl at 21st rank and Agartala at 24 score just 60 in a scale of 100. Incongruously, Kohima the capital of Nagaland with supposedly greenery all around is ranked a poor 31st with a score of just around 55. One reason could be the after effect of unplanned growth of urbanization as a result of population explosion. Not surprisingly, Haridwar, Puducherry, Raipur rank the lowest in the measure of 'Swachh'.

The parameters used for the study are:-
i) cleanliness of sewer and drainage,
ii) effectiveness of garbage collection and disposal,
iii) cleanliness of public conveniences,
iv) cleanliness around drinking water facilities,
v) cleanliness around eateries and
vi) cleanliness on ambience-related aspects.

Increasing dieselization partly on account of government's policy of subsidization of diesel, often heavily, compared to that of petrol, could have led to undermining the air quality according to environmentalists.

(To be continued).