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November 25, 2024
By The Flag Post staff
Delhi-NCR region becomes a toxic chamber during the stubble burning and breathing becomes difficult. The Air Quality Index (AQI) plummeting and it sets off various illness because of the toxic air inhaled and the visibility is low in the winter months. According to some recent health reports in the national dailies and news channels, they painted a dismal picture of the air Dilliwalas breathe. Breathing the air is on par with every individual smoking 49 cigarettes per day.
As the pollution is suffocating the common man, “Scientists for Society”, along with other progressive organizations and individuals organized a protest demonstration at Jantar-Mantar on Sunday (November 24) against the failure of the Union and the Delhi governments in dealing with climate crisis. The protesters through their slogans, pamphlets, posters and speeches elaborated on the real reasons behind the problems, and exposed the real perpetrators of this unliveable reality. Disha Students Organization (DISHA) & Naujawan Bharat Sabha members were part of the protest.
They explained that the profit driven system which works in the interests of a few capitalists. They in the blind pursuit of ever increasing their profits and laying waste our environment, and the government is clueless about it. The biggest sources of pollution are vehicular emissions, burning of fossil fuels, industrial waste and the pollution produced by occurrences of forest fires. The rise in population and lack of awareness amongst the masses compounds the problem. What lies ahead is unknown to most of them?
This situation can only be resolved if the common masses unite in the struggle that’s driving the environmental destruction. SFS gave a call for uniting and building a mass movement on the national level addressing the root cause of the problem. It cannot limit itself to legalese and reforms.Such a movement can begin by formulating our concrete demands on and fighting for it. The protest organized by SFS is a small beginning in the right direction.
The main demands of the protest were: decentralize the centralised industries in big cities; provide alternative sources of energy; disposing off the industrial waste according to environmentally safe norms; a proper system for the treatment of sewage water must be ensured; an affordable public transportation system must be easily available to the people, and a national policy made to dispose of the stubble.
Also, stringent action must be taken against the owners who flout the safety norms and their registration must be cancelled. There has been a sharp increase in Illnesses because of pollution. For the treatment of those who are severely affected, the government must provide free and appropriate healthcare for everyone. And If construction work has to be stopped, then all the workers must be paid an allowance.
