Capital Dhaka on Monday has ranked fourth on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality. With an AQI index score of 179 at 9:00am, Dhaka's air was classified as 'unhealthy', according to the air quality index. India's Delhi, Pakistan's Lahore and Karachi occupied the first, second and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 344, 221 and 180 respectively. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', between 150 and 200 is 'unhealthy', between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues.
Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
This is in fact nothing new for the dwellers living in capital Dhaka and its adjacent cities that they start experiencing terrible dust pollution when winter approaches every year. The dust pollution turns acute in the capital Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj cities during the dry season, which is over three times higher than the permissible level.
The dust pollution
turns acute in the
capital Dhaka, Gazipur and
Narayanganj cities during the dry
season
As winter creeps in, the pollution level in the capital has already started reaching its extreme level due to uncontrolled discharge of dust from construction works and road digging, posing serious health risks to the city dwellers. Road dust becomes the biggest source of pollution in the capital, especially during the dry season for various reasons, including unplanned construction works, rundown roads and many other sources.
Earlier the High Court criticised the authorities concerned of the government for their failure in taking effective measures to control air pollution in Dhaka and surrounding areas despite its repeated directives. But, the Department of Environment (DoE), Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, Gazipur City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation have not taken any effective steps to reduce air pollution yet.
The city corporations are well known that dust pollution intensifies every year during winter, but they have no preparedness and action plans to deal with the terrible situation. Apart from the city corporations, the DoE responsible for taking a proper plan to check dust pollution in the city is also reluctant in this regard.
Therefore, air pollution also still remains one of the top most challenges for our country’s major cities. But, the dust pollution is on the rise for lack of good governance, preventive measures, action plans, initiatives and enforcement of law.
So, the authorities concerned must spray water on major roads in the capital Dhaka and two other metropolitan cities to control the dust immediately.
