Confronting Pollution in India

Of Indian heritage, my family and I visit India every year. During my maiden visit, the vibrancy and diversity of its cities took my breath away. From the bustling streets of Delhi to the historical splendor of Jaipur to the tech cities like Bangalore, everything revealed the face of a developing nation. But as much as the speed of development was visible, one could not overlook the fact that pollution is part of daily life and affects the environment.

I only realized how severe pollution could be when I reached Delhi. The thick haze visible in every direction when I left the airport immediately struck my attention. My eyes began to water, and I felt a minor burning in my throat. It was not just fog; it had been a regular life for people in Delhi-smog. Air quality reaches hazardous levels repeatedly due to vehicle emissions, industrial pollutants, and crop burning in bordering states.

On a trip to Varanasi, I felt the spiritual significance of the Ganges River, but other than that, it was polluted. This waterway is filled with industrial waste, sewage, and plastic pollutants, which millions depend upon for survival. The thread ceremony I saw here was performed in polluted waters. In addition, people were performing daily rituals and holy dips where garbage could be seen floating just meters away. The water also emits a pungent smell.

The cacophony of horns and the clang of teeming streets would always form an intrinsic part of India's urban soundscape. Noise pollution is an ignored but serious problem in major Indian cities like Mumbai and Kolkata. I couldn't sleep properly during my stay in a Mumbai guesthouse because of the continuous noise on the streets below. It was quite a wake-up call. Kinds of pollution are not just something one sees or breathes; they are also what people hear.

Despite the odds, I found a few promising enterprises fighting pollution. In Bangalore, I saw one community-based waste segregation and composting initiative. This practice decreases waste sent to landfills and encourages recycling and organic farming. Traveling through India, I realized that pollution is multidimensional and has no easy solution. Health, quality of life, and environmental concerns interact with pollution closely.