India has been dragging its feet over abating odour pollution. Does it lack in infrastructure, or will?
THE RESIDENTS of Noida, a city in the national capital region, are on a warpath for over a month now. At the heart of the protest is a 10-hectare plot in sector 123, where the Noida Authority had recently started dumping garbage from across the district. Residents say they are facing tough days because of the unbearable stench from the dumpyard. Though the authority has stopped dumping in the last week of June following protests, the respite may not last long as the city master plan demarcates the site for a waste-to-energy plant and a landfill will be part of it. “It seems, we no longer have the right to fresh air,” says Neeraj Prakash, an information-technology professional who lives in a colony in front of the landfill.
While complaints against stench from landfills and waste-to-energy plants manage to draw government’s attention—52 such protests have erupted across 16 states in the past three years, says the State of India’s Environment in Figures 2018—the misery of those who endure malodour from oil refineries, fish markets, slaughter houses, distilleries, pharmaceuticals, biomedical and hazardous waste disposal sites and pesticide plants remains unnoticed.
The World Health Organization recognises odour as a pollution and says it affects the quality of life and social well-being of individuals. Though the effects vary from person to person, stench can generally cause vomiting, headache, nausea, insomnia, stress, anxiety, frustration and discomfort, particularly among the elderly. “Odour is a sign that unhealthy chemicals surround us,” says K K Aggarwal, former president of the Indian Medical Association, Delhi. But tackling odour pollution is the last thing on the government’s mind, or so it seems.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara