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Decision makers:
Dr. Kalyan Rudra, Chairman, West Bengal Pollution Control Board
- Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal
Demands:
Implement strict pollution checks for all vehicles, especially older, diesel-based and commercial ones.
Regulate and monitor emissions from thermal power plants and industries in and around Kolkata.
Enforce a strict ban on garbage burning and establish sustainable waste management solutions.
Enforce cleaner fuel usage and upgrade public transport infrastructure year-round.
Kolkata, one of the largest Indian metros with a population of more than 14 million, is in the grip of an urgent and worsening air pollution crisis. Kolkata battles dangerously high levels of air pollution every year, particularly during winter, when air quality reaches “very unhealthy” levels. This November, the city’s AQI crossed 400, marking the air quality as hazardous, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) [1].
One out of every two children in Kolkata suffers from some kind of respiratory disorders triggered by air pollution. Experts pointed out that even newborns and babies in nurseries are not being spared from the impact of air pollution. Doctors are calling for greater awareness, preventive steps and precautions [2].
At the heart of the issue is PM 2.5, a microscopic pollutant that penetrates deep into the lungs, leading to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Short-term exposure to PM 2.5 is directly responsible for 7.3 percent of all annual deaths in the city, an estimated 4,700 lives lost annually [3].
A global air quality report from 2022 placed Kolkata as the second-most polluted city in the world in 2019, relative to its population [4].
Despite the severity of the situation, there has been a disturbing lack of action from the authorities to address this crisis. This isn’t a crisis that can be ignored or left on the back burner. Kolkata’s air pollution poses an existential threat to its residents, impacting the youngest and most vulnerable.
Transitioning to clean energy sources and enforcing strict regulations for industries and vehicles are some of the essential structural reforms needed to ensure breathable air for all citizens. The time for action is now, before more lives are lost to a preventable disaster.
We demand immediate action from the West Bengal Pollution Control Board and the West Bengal government to protect our environment, our health, and our future. We must act now - before more damage is done and trust in the system's ability to protect our environment is irreparably lost.
Sources:
Decision makers:
Dr. Kalyan Rudra, Chairman, West Bengal Pollution Control Board
- Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal
Demands:
Implement strict pollution checks for all vehicles, especially older, diesel-based and commercial ones.
Regulate and monitor emissions from thermal power plants and industries in and around Kolkata.
Enforce a strict ban on garbage burning and establish sustainable waste management solutions.
Enforce cleaner fuel usage and upgrade public transport infrastructure year-round.
Kolkata, one of the largest Indian metros with a population of more than 14 million, is in the grip of an urgent and worsening air pollution crisis. Kolkata battles dangerously high levels of air pollution every year, particularly during winter, when air quality reaches “very unhealthy” levels. This November, the city’s AQI crossed 400, marking the air quality as hazardous, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) [1].
One out of every two children in Kolkata suffers from some kind of respiratory disorders triggered by air pollution. Experts pointed out that even newborns and babies in nurseries are not being spared from the impact of air pollution. Doctors are calling for greater awareness, preventive steps and precautions [2].
At the heart of the issue is PM 2.5, a microscopic pollutant that penetrates deep into the lungs, leading to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Short-term exposure to PM 2.5 is directly responsible for 7.3 percent of all annual deaths in the city, an estimated 4,700 lives lost annually [3].
A global air quality report from 2022 placed Kolkata as the second-most polluted city in the world in 2019, relative to its population [4].
Despite the severity of the situation, there has been a disturbing lack of action from the authorities to address this crisis. This isn’t a crisis that can be ignored or left on the back burner. Kolkata’s air pollution poses an existential threat to its residents, impacting the youngest and most vulnerable.
Transitioning to clean energy sources and enforcing strict regulations for industries and vehicles are some of the essential structural reforms needed to ensure breathable air for all citizens. The time for action is now, before more lives are lost to a preventable disaster.
We demand immediate action from the West Bengal Pollution Control Board and the West Bengal government to protect our environment, our health, and our future. We must act now - before more damage is done and trust in the system's ability to protect our environment is irreparably lost.
Sources: