India’s Pollution Conundrum
Human “progress” has certainly taken its toll on Mother Earth, and its very visible in India. Pollution is rampant and increasing. Cars, busses, motorcycles, scooters, and tuktuks all pour a stream of smelly CO2 smokey smog. Tuktuks appear to have old fashion 2-stroke engines, spouting clouds
and clouds of gray smoke. Even newer cars propelled by diesel engines overly pollute. Catalytic converters (which are installed on cars in the west to reduce emissions) seem absent. A gray haze hovers over cities like Delhi, and smoke lingers and wafts along the streets, seemingly at home like a local resident.
I’m told that the government will stop diesel sales in 2019, as relatively-affordable electric cars are introduced. Both steps are in the right direction and applauded by Mother Nature. Accordingly it will be many many many years before today’s pollution machines are retired, absent
substantial government or philanthropic intervention.
1.2 billion people is quite an astonishing number for a single country. And thus quite a volume of trash and human waste to deal with. The country is simply over run. Exacerbated by poverty, inadequate and aging infrastructure, limited government resources, continued population growth, and seemed acceptance…the result is frequent foul sights and
odors. Bluntly, a layer of trash and the smell of urine (and worse) are abundantly and frequently apparent. A bursting blot detracting from the natural beauty and potential of India. I’m told that last year the government added running water to the homes of 15 million poor people, and that the effort continues. Much applause please! Ideally that rate with increase 10-fold asap.
Many animals roam the streets and sidewalks leaving their gifts in steamy piles and puddles – cows, bulls (both owned or abandoned), roving dogs, feral cats, pigeons, and plenty of monkeys. The piles seem to be stepped over. It’s everybody’s problem, so nobody’s problem.
Separately, the trash is unyielding. Potato chip bags, water bottles, shampoo sachets, plastic bags, various wrappers, soda cans, etc. etc. etc. are abundant along streets, across fields, and throughout rivers. Both an eyesore and a health hazard.
This mess is a conundrum. People with such pride in their country seen dropping trash without a flinch. Is there is a possibility for a new perspective that individual behavior is paramount to solving this. Could it be viewed that it’s not solely the government’s responsibility to pick up trash? Could public outcry martial the masses? I stay hopeful.
Regardless, India’s beauty still shines through, but without a change of course the shine could fade.