Speaking at the all-India workshop on ‘Urban Air Pollution Forecasting, Monitoring and Implementation’ organised by the department, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Institution of Engineers on Monday, Pal said this initiative, billed –– ‘Air Quality Atlas’ would also enable the common man to gain an understanding of the quality of air.
To serve as an incentive, individuals who contribute towards reduction of emissions in developing nations must be offered credits for it like it is done in developed nations, he suggested. The incentives must be in-built in all pollution management policies.
KSPCB Chairperson, Dr A S Sadashivaiah, said that over 40 per cent of air pollution in the State was caused due to vehicular emissions. “Why is action not being taken to phase out old vehicles off the streets?” he queried.
More than 50 per cent of the country’s population use coal, wood or charcoal for their cooking purposes and this was a major reason for pollution in the country, the KSPCB chief added.
Referring to the statistics released by the World Health Organisation a couple of years ago, Sadashivaiah said that half a million children died worldwide due to acute respiratory infection caused by indoor air pollution.
DH News Service