An air quality expert from New York has advocated for greater use of public transport like trams and e-vehicles that use clean energy, instead of personal cars and bikes that run on petrol and diesel, to achieve cleaner air in Kolkata.
“In a city like Kolkata, people have the choice not to drive cars and use public transport or sustainable mobility. In New York, the majority of people use public transport or cycle or walk. I heard bicycling is prohibited on some major roads in Kolkata. People have to move from dirty fuel to clean fuel and sustainable mobility. Otherwise, the health burden will be too heavy on the individual and on the nation,” said V Faye McNeill, professor at the department of earth and environmental sciences in Columbia University and vice-president of the American Association for Aerosol Research. She spoke at a workshop held by SwitchON Foundation in the city.
The impact of air pollution is not limited to human health. It has long-term detrimental effects on agriculture and food production. So, fighting air pollution must be high on the list of priorities for an individual as well as the government — be it at local, provincial or national level, McNeill said. She urged the participants of the workshop, including students, to map the sources of air pollution in their localities through a group activity, be it a food vendor cooking meals, or ironing kiosk or a small-scale industrial unit.
“Map it and try to find the way out. Maybe a shift to cleaner energy might boost his or her business too. A micro-level action plan can improve the air quality significantly,” she added.
More than 200 school students and youths joined the workshop that focused on the causes, consequences and solutions related to air pollution.
Vinay Jaju of SwitchON Foundation said, “We are pleased to be partnering with Clean Air Toolbox, University of Columbia to set up air quality monitoring stations in various schools.”
