Varanasi's air quality 'deteriorating', Delhi victim 'negligence': Report
New Delhi: The air quality in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, is ranked third on the WHO's list of 15 most polluted cities and the situation is "deteriorating" as its MP has focused on beautification and infrastructure, a Delhi-based environment body claimed.
Delhi is ranked sixth on the list and there has been "laziness" on part of its elected caretakers in tackling air pollution in the city, the 'Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019' report, released by Climate Trends, said.
Fourteen of the 15 cities, including four in Uttar Pradesh, on the World Health Organisation (WHO) list of most polluted cities in the world are in India, it said.
The organisation, in its report, has also listed out the proposed actions and works of respective authorities in these cities.
Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, from where Modi had won in 2014, is witnessing a rise in the number of people suffering from allergies and respiratory problems due to a "lot" of construction in the city, the report said.
"The air quality in Varanasi has been deteriorating faster than other towns in the state (Uttar Pradesh), largely due to lot of construction in the city. Doctors and residents are confirming the rise in allergies and respiratory diseases in the past few years with zero-good quality air days.
"While the state and local city governments have taken a few knee-jerk actions, the focus of the MP has been on beautification and infrastructure that do not fully address the primary causes of consistently poor air quality at the city and regional levels, it said.
The air quality index (AQI) in Varanasi reached an alarming 490 in 2017 and 384 -- very poor category -- in December 2018, the report claimed.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe", as per pollution control authorities.
Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is the most polluted city in the world and is ranked one on the list. Faridabad in Haryana has been ranked second and Varanasi third.
Gaya and Patna in Bihar are fourth and fifth on the list, while Delhi is sixth and Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow is seventh. Cities of Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurugram, Jaipur, Patiala and Jodhpur are also on the WHO list of most polluted cities.
The report claimed MPs of Lucknow and Kanpur -- Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi respectively -- have mostly been silent on the issue of air pollution in their respective constituencies.
The MP of Patna (former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha) has been more interested in Delhi's "smog politics", it claimed.
The national capital, which occupied sixth position, has been witnessing "negligence and laziness from its elected caretakers", the report said.
Delhi has seven MPs and an elected government with several MLAs, but "the government institutional machinery can at best be described as reactive than pro-active based on evidence available", it claimed.
"Instead of instant relief, the city is witnessing criminal negligence and laziness from elected caretakers and their implementation agencies in the form of piece-meal, limited, and short-term impact solutions being applied, the report said.
With the AQI of Delhi at 448, the city is faces problems of construction, garbage burning, vehicular pollution and crop stubble burning, it said, adding that the seven MPs in the national capital have taken different stands on the issue of air pollution.
The report has compiled the quotes of MPs of Delhi on the air quality issue.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
