Md. Jashim
Uddin
Department
of Entomology,
University of Manitoba at Winnipeg, CANADA
contact: [email protected]
Respiration
is the fundamental biological process that keeps the metabolic machineries
of living organisms, eventually their lives, functioning. Every living
system requires oxygen, and to terrestrial systems the amount required
is relatively voluminous. Human beings intake oxygen directly from air
which usually comprises 20.946% oxygen. This oxygen keeps our metabolic
machineries steady and purposeful. Apart from oxygen, air usually contains
about 78% nitrogen and trace amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium
and methane. With the advent of civilization and all-around mechanization,
scientific development has however turned around as a boomerang, as the
developments in agricultural, industrial and transportation arenas have
perturbed the natural balance and disarrayed the composition of air in
the global scale. But nevertheless, the intensity of air perturbation
in Dhaka is catastrophic, as the air pollution in Dhaka has recently surpassed
most, if not all, of the cities in the world: Dhaka is now regarded
as one of the most polluted cities in the world! My recent exposure to
the air in Dhaka has catapulted immense concerns in me about the coming-day
lives in Dhaka. The indiscriminate development in conjunction with poor
civic practices and improper municipal management has polluted the air
in Dhaka alarmingly. The intensity of air pollution in Dhaka has reached
to such a level that, to my perception, it has eventually depauperated
the city as a place to reside.
Air pollutants
in Dhaka
The commonly found air pollutants fall into two major categories, the
gaseous compounds and the particulate materials. The gaseous compounds
include predominantly various oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, carbon monoxides,
ozone and ammonia. The particulate materials include mainly dusts, fly
ash, smoke, fumes, shoots, aerosol, heavy metals, etc. Dr. Khalequzzaman
of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission in a meeting in 1998 reported that
the air in Tejgaon area of Dhaka contained 64-143 µg of sulfur dioxide
per cubic meter of air. He also reported that the composition of nitrogen
oxides in the air of Farmgate area of Dhaka was 25-32 µg/m3 of air.
Environmentalist J. Core, a World Bank consultant in Dhaka, in the same
meeting reported that the concentration of suspended particulate materials
in the air of Dhaka was found to be 665-2456 µg/m3, which is alarmingly
higher than the recommended standard level of 200 µg/m3 of air.
Lead is a heavy metal, which is toxic and affects mammalian brains. According
to the WHO report 2001, the lead concentration found in the blood of children
in Dhaka was up to four times higher the acceptable level of 10 g/dl.
This high level of lead concentration in blood is correlated with that
in the air.
Sources of
air pollutants
In the context of Bangladesh, vehicle exhausts are regarded as one of
the major culprits of air pollution. The total number of motor vehicles
trafficking in Dhaka city is not as high as it is in the other mega cities
in the world. But nevertheless, mechanically defective vehicles coupled
with trafficking of a large number of two-stroke engine vehicles that
run on partial burning of impure gasoline and emit CO, CO2, SO2 and other
components including the lead cause the major damage to the air. On top
of these, industrial exhausts, irresponsible civic practices and improper
municipal services are also serving the cause of air pollution.
Why is the
air pollution a concern?
Air pollution is imposing a significant setback to our economy, as it
is associated with health hazards and curtailed economic growth of the
country. According to the World Bank report 2001, the air pollution claims
about 15000 lives each year in Bangladesh. Apart from these death tolls,
air pollution is linked with over nine million cases of sickness in the
country. Air pollution can cause various diseases including dizziness,
continuous headache, reduced nervous system functioning, heart diseases,
kidney and lung damages, etc. Some of the pollutants, particularly the
lead impairs the brain and reduces the processing efficiency of brain,
which is really an alarming issue. These health problems reduce the working
efficiency of the victims and eventually increase their chance of being
burdens to others. In terms of the lucrative currency, the air pollution
reduces an estimated growth of as low as 200 to as high as 800 million
U.S. dollars a year (World Bank, 2001). The amount of this projected revenue
loss is a significant loss relative to the total productivity of the country.
Measures
taken to mitigate the problem
To reduce the air pollution in Bangladesh, the World Bank, the United
Nations Development Program and the Bangladesh Government have designed
and initiated some plausible measures. A project was initiated in 2000
in which the World Bank has funded a loan of about 4.7 million U.S. dollars
toward teaching and practicing proper air quality management. The Energy
Sector Management Assistance Program, the World Bank, an NGO and a local
motor vehicle company are funding an auto-clinic program to train the
auto-rickshaw drivers, mechanics, and owners to help them operate and
maintain the
vehicles in ways that reduce the emission of pollutants (Chen Jian, 2001).
The Energy Minister Dr. K. Mosharraf Hossain in a meeting in 2001 informed
that the government is planning to convert all petrol engine vehicles
into CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)-engine vehicles within next two years.
He also informed that the government is going to impose a ban on imports
of non-CNG vehicles in the country in the near future. Technical development
project on reduction of lead in petroleum is also underway in the country.
In addition to these, several other projects funded by ADB, World Bank,
UNDP and other
organizations are also underway to integrate effective means of reducing
the emission of air pollutants in urban areas. The Government has also
appreciably decided to withdraw the old vehicles from the city, enforced
ban on using polythenes and marched for clean city program. Furthermore,
initiatives have been planned in ways that the two-stroke engine auto-rickshaws
are going to be withdrawn from the city in a succession. However, the
way these vehicles are planned to withdraw from Dhaka doesnt sound
perfect, as the agreement between government and people associated with
these vehicles will allow these vehicles to run in other towns of the
country. This is a sarcastic move, as the agreement will in fact produce
nothing to add up to the benefits. It will rather help spread the problems
in other towns as well. Lack of integrity and aptitude toward civic welfare
has depauperated us so viciously that nothing is designed and materialized
for the future. Interests surrounding the sickness of apparent political
and bureaucratic gains are nailing our futures down the floors: frustratingly
most of the motions designed to save the environment are going into vein.
Corruption and irresponsibility appear to be mightier than the Government!
Its really difficult to be optimistic of any good moves in the country!!
I wonder if any good wills that are prospective of bearing fruits for
civilians can be realized in the country.
Conclusions
The ambient air quality in Dhaka is going down day by day. The increasing
air pollution is impeding the development of the country. The conflict
between the air pollution and the public health is good enough to give
a serious thrust of resolving the problem. The plausible reasons of air
pollutions are mostly known and the major causal culprits of the pollution
are identified. A set of feasible and cost effective technical measures
is already available to combat the pollution and bring it down to a shape.
Government should strengthen moves for pollution regulation initiatives
and their enforcements. Finding alternate measures that will reduce the
fuel demand and its use, improving traffic conditions in the city, controlling
two-stroke engine vehicles in the city are also very important. Creation
of social awareness is always important and the mass media are required
to be incorporated in this regard. Development of new industrial enterprises
in the city should also be stopped. Beside these long term projects including
tree plantation are to be undertaken and realized, so that the situation
does not worsen further.
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