Air Pollution And Its Impact On Public Health: Global Scenario And Hyderabad Case Study

Air Pollution and Its Impact on Public Health

Air Pollution: Global Scenario

Discuss about the Air Pollution and Its Impact on Public Health .

Air pollution is a global issue, confronting the humanity nowadays, and is worsening every minute.  The contamination of the atmosphere, subsequent to the accumulation of air pollutants, creates far reaching health hazards to humans and other biodiversities, changing the climatic conditions altogether. The primary air pollutants and the ozone like compounds, impact upon human health, leading to several deadly diseases (Ali & Haruna 2015). In India, the air quality is the worst, making it a choice of life and death for an estimated 66-million people (Chauhan 2015), and taking the lives of another half a million premature, every year (Harvey 2016). Hyderabad, which is one of the fast developing major cities in India, is facing acute air pollution crisis, due to the combustion of biomass that emits air Toxics, endangering public health (CSE 2011). This paper identifies the components and sources of air pollution and explains how severe is the air pollution in Hyderabad is, and evaluates the measures in force for overcoming the problem.

Air pollution: Gloal Scenario

Clean air is an essential element for improving human health and welfare  (Pozzer et al. 2012). Newer technologies,  industries, transportation, urbanization, and the ever increasing amenities are all conceived and put to use for the sake of human well-being (Riffat 2016 & WHO 2008).   But the mega cities where these developments are concentrated have become the localized pollution centers (Pozzer et al. 2012), resulting in air pollution impacted health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, emphysema, asthma, and the likes (Ali & Haruna 2015).

The death toll account, due to air pollution, in the last century began in London, in the year 1952, when the Great Smog formed out of the stagnant and humid airborne pollutants failed to penetrate the clouds, resulting in the death of nearly 8000 infants and aged people. Burning of solid fuels, such as coal in factories and homes was the main cause of the disaster (EEA 2013). Back in India, in 1984, an industrial gas leakage disaster at the  Union Carbide Corporation’s chemical plant in Bhopal caused 8,000 deaths, and incapacitated thousands more, inflicting permanent injuries.  In the present times, air pollution is the fourth main lethal health risk worldwide (Thakur 2016).

Primary and Secondary Pollutants

The life on earth is supported by the atmosphere, consisting of a vibrant system of gases, and shrinking of the ozone layer will harm human health, as well as the  ecological systems (Ali & Haruna 2015). Because of the rapid industrial growth, various gaseous emissions, like Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM), known as primary pollutants, are being released into the atmosphere.  These and several other anthropogenic emissions, then undergo chemical reactions in the atmosphere to become new pollutants, called secondary pollutants. Both the primary and secondary pollutants put human health at risk (TERI 2015).

Primary and Secondary Pollutants

Sources of Primary and Secondary Pollutants

The main sources of air pollution are industrial processes, solid waste combustion, heat and power production,  and the transport engines. The burning of  hydrocarbon fuels, like petrol and gasoline in transport vehicles and airplanes generate numerous primary air pollutants, including particulates of lead.  The sunlight stimulates nitrogen oxides to combine with hydrocarbons to form secondary pollutants (Ali & Haruna 2015). Frequent exposure to these air pollutants will result in adverse health effects.

Air pollution in India

The air quality in the Indian cities has deteriorated in proportion to the rate of increase in population growth, rapid industrialization and greater vehicle use (TERI 2015). Millions of families are frequently exposed to higher levels of particulates, by burning wood, dung and other organic substances for cooking and heating, which contributes to the poor air quality to a great extent (UBC  2016). Usage of fossil fuels in transportation, power production, industries, and other activities is mostly responsible for the urban air pollution. In rural India, the dependency on  traditional biomass for cooking and heating contributes to indoor air pollution. Estimates show that 70% of the Indian population still depend on firewood, cow dung, coal, etc., for cooking and 32% rely on kerosene for lighting needs. Lack of sufficient ambient air monitoring data and air pollution source information are detrimental  to the Integrated air quality management (AQM)  for combating these problems (TERI 2015).

Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh in India, is a 400 year old city of historical importance.  The city is  fast growing with a population density of 17,000 people per km2, and includes the satellite districts under the Hyderabad Urban Development Area.  The air quality of Hyderabad is challenged by the increased demand for transportation, manufacturing estates, and construction sectors  (Guttikunda et al. 2012). The urban growth and the resultant poorer air quality, have put public health at risk due to the high incidents of respiratory problems (Tejaswi 2015).

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, tiny particles PM2.5 level, which is about 1.3 times above the normal is getting inside the lungs. Though the national ambient air quality standards have achieved changes in the air quality status of a few locations, the air toxics like benzene have gone beyond the permissible limit. As a result, the air pollution linked ailments have recorded highest PM1 and PM10 levels in such zones. The 21 air quality monitoring stations located in Hyderabad constantly monitor  sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM) sized below PM10. Other components under limited scale are Carbon monoxide (CO), ozone, lead, benzene, arsenic, and nickel (CSE 2011).

Sources of Primary and Secondary Pollutants

Real-time Air Quality Index on a typical day at Hyderabad US Consulate

89	Moderate Updated on Saturday 19:00 Temp.: 28°C

Current	Past 48 hours data	Min	Max
PM2.5 AQI	89		46	134

Current	Past 48 hours data	Min	Max
Temp.	28		23	29
Pressure	961		961	964
Humidity	68		67	87

Source: Map data, 2016, Google

In spite of the constant monitoring, the killer particulates are precipitating serious air quality concern. Most of the other locations, namely Paradise, Charminar, Uppasl, etc., have recorded PM10 annual average levels, between 106 to 119 microgram per cubic meter, which is critical as per the CPCB’s air quality classification. The annual average trends do not reflect the real amount of  pollution exposure on a daily basis. These variations in particulate matter levels continue to increase, demanding more  aggressive interventions to retain its breathing space (CSE 2011).

Air pollution sources  in Hyderabad

The source apportionment study in Hyderabad listed transportation, industries, and waste burning as critical sources of particulate matter (PM) pollution in the city. The sector-specific emissions relating to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area, during the period 2010–2011, reported by Guttikunda & Kopakka (2014)  was “42,600 t of PM₁₀ (PM size <10 μm), 24,500 t of PM_2.5 (PM size <2.5 μm), 11,000 t of sulfur dioxide, 127,000 t of nitrogen oxides, 431,000 t of carbon monoxide, 113,400 t of non-methane volatile organic compounds, and 25.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions” (Guttikunda & Kopakka 2014). According to them, the  above list was  separated spatially at 0.01° resolution for a chemical transport model (ATMoS). The urban area concentration, as per the Guttikunda & Kopakka (2014) was “105.2 ± 28.6 μg/m³ for PM₁₀ and 72.6 ± 18.0 μg/m³ for PM_2.5, when overlaid on gridded population. This resulted in the premature death of 3,700 people and  asthma attacks for another 280,000 persons in 2010–2011” (Guttikunda & Kopakka 2014).

The analysis confirms a need for  the implementation of aggressive pollution controls to limit pollution in Hyderabad.  Such measures, if adopted, will reduce the excess exposure levels in the affected areas. Measures like enhancing public transportation, integrating road and metro-rails, supporting walking and cycling, introducing efficient technologies in industries, and augmenting waste management will bring better outcomes in public health benefits, while reducing economic costs (Guttikunda & Kopakka 2014).

The present population of Hyderabad pays the least concern to nature, and are regularly rejecting  calls  to protect the environment. They are not involved in resource allocation decisions, public opinions, and policy making (The Energy and Resources Institute 2013). The people are still unaware of the fact that the suspended particles carrying sulfur compounds are chemically reactive, with the potential to impact upon the environment. The TSPM in 2010 was 267.5, and in 2012 it reached a record 287, damaging the heritage sites, like Charminar and Lad Bazaar. Higher levels of PM10 pose greater threats to humans and the monuments (Rohit 2013).

Air Pollution in India

Humans have been sending different types of chemical compounds into the air through burning fossil fuels and running power plants and automobiles. These produce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants that go up in the atmosphere. When rain or water particles  come into contact with the higher percentage of these alkaline chemicals, the precipitation will become more acidic, causing acid rain, that harms humans and the whole environment (THE HANS INDIA 2015).

Impact of Air Pollution on Health in Hyderabad

Air pollutants, like particulate matter will damage human health. A recent study has revealed that PM10 exposure was responsible for the increase of mortality and morbidity rate in the area. The Concentration Response (CR) analysis based on the previous epidemiological studies, Human Capital Approach (HCA),  and the Cost of Illness (COI) approach have proved that the transportation sector contributed 70% of the total air emissions in Hyderabad. Places where the transportation facilities have been low, accorded a reduced level of PM10 concentrations to 1/3^rd,  recording significant improvement in mortality and incidences of CVD, as well as other lung diseases (Institute of Health Systems n.d.)

Another report of Baseerat (2013) reveals that 20% of lung cancer mortality in the city are due to exposure to higher levels of carcinogenic agent contaminated air, and this relates to the rise in lung cancer in nonsmokers. The diesel smoke that grips the city will continue health hazards even for the future generations  (Baseerat 2013).
Chronic exposure to this sort of air pollution increases CVD and lung cancer risks. It alters immunity and causes chromosomal damage in people.  The rise in the prevalence of depression and  neurobehavioral illnesses is associated with the high PM10 61 – 90 µg/m3 level air pollution in Hyderabad.  Burning sensation, blurred vision, drunken feeling, depression, and forgetfulness are some of the symptoms attributed to neurobehavioral problems associated with air pollution (Ray & Lahiri 2009).

Tackling the Air Pollution problems

(i) General Solution:

Air quality in Hyderabad is much above the ambient air quality standards at national level.   In order to reduce the levels of PM at the monitoring stations in commercial, industrial, and residential settings, at a level below the national ambient standard of 60 μg/m3, stringent measures are required.  The measures adopted must limit road dust and waste burning, and at the same time execute technological and institutional improvements in industrial and transport sectors for optimizing efficacies (Rao et al. 2016).

Air Pollution Problems in Hyderabad

The increased use of privately owned vehicles in the crowded areas of Chikkadapally, Paradise, Madhapur, Charminar, Punjagutta, Sanathnagar, Sainikpuri, Uppal, Jubilee Hills, etc., should be curtailed, and instead, deliberately promote the public transport system usage, by giving incentives. Turning off the engines, while waiting at signal points, and fixing CNG gas kit, as well as persuasion to walking and cycling can improve the situation (Hyderabad India Online 2016). Using public transportation, utilizing energy efficient devices, conserving energy, reusing things by recycling, and adopting  clean energy technologies, like solar, wind and geothermal devices will lower the severity of air pollution problems (Rinkesh 2016).

(ii) Policy making and infrastructure solutions:

Policy makers can frame rules and regulations for effective management of air pollution at institutional and individual levels. Implementation of extensive ambient air quality-monitoring stations throughout the city can help the government in taking timely preventive measures to tackle air pollution problems at the point of source (APPCB 2016). The pharmaceutical companies should use effective effluent monitoring system to treat the wastewater before releasing it into the rivulets.  The government must penalize the factory management heavily, if they violate the directions. Strict and error proof vigilance is required to ensure compliance (Kumar 2015).

For meeting clean air and taking the initial gains, the second generation action needs to be instituted in public transport, following the first one.  Adoption of leapfrog technology roadmap, along with the  mobility transition roadmap and upscale public transport, will act as an effective modal shift in devising the motorized and non motorized transport systems. Integrating the city’s formal and informal intermediate public transport (IPT) is another step to improve the flexibility of travel trips and reducing the mass shift towards personal vehicles in short distance commuting. All forms of transport must be coordinated to maximize the access, focusing on the JNNURM fund flow strictly, for improving the transportation  system only (CSE 2011).

Accelerating institutional reforms for facilitating the City Mobility Plan will bring positive results in integrated planning. It is beneficial for getting better land-use and mobility, and in achieving the required air quality and environmental gains. Building feasible and credible databases for fulfilling policy actions and conducting regular surveys for knowing the trends in fuel use,  mode, and performance indicators can solve the transportation problems, considerably. The firm implementation of the second generation reforms will make the city cleaner for people, saving them from killer pollution, congestion, and global warming  (CSE 2011).

Real-time Air Quality Index on a typical day at Hyderabad US Consulate

Conclusion

Air pollution is a global issue confronting the humanity. The contamination of the air by the accumulation of primary and secondary pollutants contributes to air pollution, causing health hazards to humans and ecosystems. In India, the air pollution problem is acute and alarming, and is taking a death toll of 645,000 Indians every year, according to the latest report of the World Health Organization.  The report is a warning sign to the Indian policy makers about their incompetency in tackling the air pollution problem. 

The fast urbanization and rapid population growth in India are responsible for this human made hazard.  The major cities in India, like Delhi and Hyderabad are the most hit. The fundamental causes of air pollution in Hyderabad  are the unrestricted and irresponsible using of privately owned vehicles and public transport system.  Other sectors like, petrochemical industries and construction proceeds are also contributing factors to escalating air pollution problems.  The mode of relying on biomass materials for cooking and heating is a subtle cause of air pollution. Lack of awareness and motivation on the part of the individuals and their opposition to legislative measures against air pollution, and the inert governmental machinery make things worse. 

The air pollution in Hyderabad impacts heavily upon the health of the city dwellers and poses challenges to the environment, damaging the several monuments and structures of heritage.  Regarding the health of people, air pollution results in cancer, respiratory diseases and mental illnesses. Thousands of people are becoming victims of this problem.  Several studies have revealed that if the air pollution is not curtailed immediately, the entire population will be at risk in the near future. Moreover, it will affect the coming generation too.

The government has sought stringent measures to cope with this problem.  Installation of air quality monitoring stations at various air polluted points  in the city, with the help of international agencies is a major step in this regard. It is supposed that through an effective and regular monitoring of the air quality, the air pollution problem in Hyderabad could be solved by maintaining the national ambient standard of air quality.  But, the public awareness and their readiness to cooperate, by desisting themselves from the regular use of personal vehicles, are the most wanting.  That means, developing a willingness to rely on  a streamlined public transport system, and a change in their  lifestyle for accelerating the combat. Additionally, nurturing a liking to walking and cycling, together with lowering the use of biomass for combustion are a few of the many ways that alleviate  the hazards of air pollution.

Air pollution sources in Hyderabad

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