Hold your breath or die!

SALES executives are perhaps the most `exposed' professionals. They have to deal with the `elements' ranging from difficult customers to bad weather. With so much time spent hitting the road, it is a fact that the air they breathe can potentially slow poison them to an early death. Others victims vulnerable to vehicular pollution include - insurance agents, courier service messengers, young children, students, traffic police, public transport employees, and two-wheeler drivers. Vehicular pollution is the fastest growing health hazard. Unfortunately, in a country beset with so many problems - vehicular pollution seems to be least of people's concerns. Nevertheless, it's a burgeoning menace and one that causes many chronic ailments (cancer, bronchial asthma, infertility etc) and deaths every year.

Despite emission tests being made mandatory, apathetic citizens, corruption and deforestation make pollution control difficult. Diesel vehicles emit the worst small particle pollutants. Many two-stroke vehicles, buses, trucks and three wheelers can't pass the emission control tests. They contribute 70% of hydrocarbons, 40% of carbon monoxide and much of the particulate pollution to the atmosphere! The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in their study on air pollution in Delhi revealed statistics that can probably numb any one into a coma! An average of 10,000 people die every year of air pollution and 52,000 across other states in the country.

Preventive measures:

Use of pollution masks or a cloth across the nose and mouth

The chief causes -

Improper maintenance of vehicles - mainly clogged engines

Old vehicles - engines more than 15 years old emit more smoke

Low fuel quality, non-standard fuel and aromatic additives to petrol - aromatic additives (Benzene, Zylene, and Toluene) pollute the air further by increasing benzene content. Breathing in even 1 ug/cum of diesel (which has high sulphur content) exhaust causes cancer

Traffic congestion - standing vehicles emit more exhaust fumes than those in movement

Violation of emission checks - most people would rather die of pollution than spare the time to check the pollution levels of their vehicles and get them serviced

An apathetic people - flagrant violation and disregard for government initiatives to control pollution levels

Do your bit to limit vehicular pollution:

Read as much literature on automotive emissions as possible

Make periodic emission tests on your vehicle

Clean your vehicle's engine

Get a monthly vehicular health check up

Dispose old cars or, keep it in prime condition

Protect yourself by wearing pollution masks with air filters

What use are progressive economic reforms and liberalisation, when a country is intent on marching its way to an early death? Stop the suicide! It's your life and it is your vehicle that's taking it. People in high exposure jobs like those mentioned above are especially at risk and will need to take special measures otherwise they will need to demand hazardous duty pay!

SAMYUKTA KODA

samyukta.hyd@cnkonline.com