Perils of air pollution
The alarming level of pollution in national capital Delhi is a classic example of how the capitalistic growth has landed us in a miserable space. People there are struggling to be able to breathe clean air. They are scared to emerge from their houses owing to rising level of pollution. Schools and colleges are often declared holidays on days when the pollution level crosses beyond tolerable limit. Roads are empty. There are restrictions on vehicular movement. Yet, nothing seems to improve the condition there. Air pollution is a looming threat in other cosmopolitan cities in the country.
The Delhi High Court has ordered the government to restrict movement of ten year old diesel vehicles and fifteen year old petrol vehicles. This order may soon be replicated in other cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and others. The situation of Delhi has worsened so much that oxygen units have been set up by the roads to supply clean air to people. People who go to work and children who go to school are forced to carry oxygen themselves. Freezing gusty winds coupled with polluted air, have made matters worse.
The reason for this miserable state of Delhi is known to everyone by now. Uncontrolled, unplanned and unbridled growth have left Delhi in shambles. Concrete jungle, blatant violation of safety norms, uncontrolled use of air conditioners and generators have landed Delhi in this wretched state. Though the government has initiated some steps to control pollution in Delhi, it has not been totally successful sine checking industries and burning of waste continues unabated. If things continue this way, our major cities would be reeling under the effects of air pollution. Every week, our major cities register over 4000-5000 new vehicles. We are not equipped with roads for them to ply on. We do not have roads that can accommodate them. The government does not have the political will power to ban new vehicles since the might of corporate companies and their bond with the government will silence every voice of concern.
Hence the whole situation is very dangerous. In Karnataka, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Mysore, Hassan, Kalaburgi and other cities face the threat of air pollution leading to many disorders. The civic amenities such as drainage and waste management are not up to the mark. This apart, real estate and land mafia have not left green belt in every layout for breathing green space. Trees are cut during road widening works. Lay outs are coming up on dried lake bunds. Local governance has failed to maintain gardens. People can indiscriminately have borewells. Solar is not installed in most houses. No one is interested in harvesting rain water. Hence situation is going downhill everyday. Other cities will soon walk this path. It has to be our prime concern that we save lakes, wells and rivers along with green cover, forest areas and growing trees for our future generation,.
Government has to make up its mind to ensure air pollution is reduced in the coming days. But environmental concerns are not among the priority of those in power now. They are busy renaming places. The current flawed governance model is responsible for skewed development model followed by corporates. The BJP government is handing over rare forest cover into the hands corporates and is dividing people on faith to win elections. Hence the Yogi government in UP, Haryana and Gujarat ruled by the BJP are busy renaming places. The political parties need to take responsibility and ensure air pollution and other forms are among the manifesto of political parties. Vehicular movement has to be checked and public transport system has to be strengthened. Government has to initiate these significant steps. Of not, we would be forced to buy clean air the way we are buying water through corporate companies. If this has to be avoided, the state government has to get to the act now to check all sorts of pollution.
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Kerala court sentences man to life imprisonment for murder of doctor at taluk hospital
Kollam (Kerala) (PTI): A teacher convicted in the sensational murder of Dr Vandana Das inside a hospital here was sentenced to life term on Saturday, and the prosecution said it will move an appeal seeking death penalty for the accused. The victim's family also batted for "maximum punishment".
Dr Das was brutally killed inside a taluk hospital in May 2023 by G Sandeep.
The Kollam Additional District and Sessions Court sentenced Sandeep to a total of 30 years for various offences under the then Indian Penal Code (IPC) and said that after he serves that period, his life imprisonment for Das' murder will commence, SPP Prathap G Padickal told reporters.
The detailed judgement is awaited.
The special public prosecutor said that he will recommend to the prosecution to file an appeal seeking enhancement of the life imprisonment to death penalty.
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He said that the prosecution had sought the maximum punishment for Sandeep, "but the court probably felt it was not a rarest-of-rare case" and that is why death penalty was not given.
The victim's father said that the verdict has come as a relief for the family, but he cannot authoritatively say whether his daughter has got justice.
He indicated his dissatisfaction with the punishment, saying that steps will be taken to seek its enhancement after discussions with the public prosecutor.
Dr Das' mother said that the family can only wish for the maximum punishment and it was up to the court to decide what sentence should be given.
She said that the family will go in appeal, but declined to comment on whether her daughter got justice.
She tearfully said that she wants the convict to suffer the same pain that her daughter underwent "as he stabbed her 27 times".
The court on March 17 had convicted Sandeep for various offences under the IPC, including murder, destruction of evidence and wrongful restraint.
It had also held him guilty under the provisions of the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage to property) Act 2012.
Sandeep was brought to the taluk hospital by the police for medical treatment during the small hours of May 10, 2023 and he went on a sudden attacking spree using a pair of surgical scissors kept in the room where his leg injury was being dressed.
A school teacher by profession, he had initially attacked the police officers and a private person who had accompanied him to the hospital and then turned on the young Dr Das, who could not escape to safety.
She was stabbed several times and later succumbed to her injuries in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram where she was rushed following the attack.
Dr Das was a native of the Kaduthuruthy area of Kottayam district and the only child of her parents.
She was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was working at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital as part of her training.
Sandeep had called the emergency number 112, claiming that his life was in danger. When local police located him, he was standing close by his home, surrounded by local residents and his relatives, and had a wound on his leg following an alleged quarrel.
He was then taken to the hospital for dressing the wound.
