In 2022, Assembly elections will be held in five states of India, including Punjab. The February 20th election is scheduled to be the vote for the Punjab Assembly elections.
All political parties are actively campaigning and have made various promises and claims to win over voters. The Assembly elections have one purpose: to elect leaders for any country that will protect basic rights and meet basic needs.
The election campaign is silent on the issue of a clean and safe environment. It is the most basic requirement to live a healthy life. This issue has not been addressed by any political party.
Punjab’s main natural resources, including air, water, land, are heavily polluted. Our forefathers knew the importance of natural resources. They revered and respected nature. If we look back at the history, we’ll see that our grandmothers used water to their advantage. However, they now have wastewater from industrial units containing chemicals and sewage water being dumped randomly in water sources.
We also use highly revered words to describe natural resources, such as PawanDevta (“God of Wind”), JalDevta (“God of Water”), AgniDevta (“God of Fire”) in religious texts. Guru Nanak, in the 15th century, gave these natural resources the same status and status as Guru, Father, or Mother. He said, “Pawan Guru Pani Mata Dhrat Mahat.”
Our forefathers were aware that natural resources are very valuable. These resources cannot be created, but must be saved. They used them carefully. Unfortunately, in the blind pursuit of economic growth we have begun to pollute natural resources instead worshipping, honoring and conserving them. We have also forgotten that polluted air, polluted water and a host of other horrible diseases can be caused by our exposure.
Punjab’s air is so polluted that according to IQAir February 8, 2020 index, not a single city here has air quality in the 1—50 category (Good) which is essential for human health. The air quality index for only three cities (Moderate) was below 100 on this day. All other cities were above 100. This indicates that the air is very polluted.
Rainfall in January/February is higher than average and it is a fact that rainfall clears the atmosphere and pollutants settle on the ground. A World Air Quality Report 2019 report found that six cities in Punjab were amongst the 50 most polluted in the world. According to the 2021 report of Down to Earth and Center for Science and Environment Punjab had 41090 deaths from air pollution in 2019, which is 18.8 percent of the total deaths.
The health of the people in Punjab is being seriously affected by air pollution. However, no political party is speaking out about the issue, not even AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal who is running for the elections in Punjab. He also has not made any promises regarding the environment issues, while blaming Punjab and Haryana for the increasing air pollution in Delhi every single year. How can Punjab prevent Delhi’s air pollution from Haryana and Punjab?
All kinds of organisms, including humans, depend on water as the most precious resource in nature. There can’t be any type of vegetation (fruits and flowers, grains, etc.) if there isn’t water. There is no life on this planet if there isn’t food. This second resource of nature is rapidly decreasing and becoming polluted. Groundwater in Punjab’s majority of districts is contaminated with arsenic and uranium as well as cadmium, lead, and chromium.
A report from the Water Resources and Environment Directorate of Punjab, Mohali and Central Groundwater Board North Western Region Chandigarh revealed that ground water levels in Punjab are falling by 0.37 meters per year. 110 of the 139 blocks of development in Punjab have seen groundwater go very deep. These blocks were therefore designated as Dark or Gray Zones.
The decline in ground water levels in Punjab is due to the ‘New Agricultural Technology’ that was imposed on Punjab in order to address the country’s food shortage. For new agricultural technology, pesticides and chemical fertilizers have been widely used.
The excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in Punjab has not only contributed to the food shortage, but has also severely polluted the air and water. Only 0.1% of pesticides applied by farmers to crops are effective against pests. The remaining 99.99% pollutes our environment by being absorbed into the soil, air, and water.
These chemical pesticides and fertilizers later enter the body of the Punjabi people through food products, causing them to develop horrible diseases. It is no secret that Malwa is now known as The Cancer Belt.
The saddest thing about Punjab’s water pollution, however, is that the rivers (Panj Abs), which gave it its name, are now just a name. Only two and a quarter rivers have flowed in Punjab since 1947, when India was partitioned. These include Sutlej, Beas and a small portion of Ravi. The Ravi river flows through a small part of Punjab — Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts.
Although the Beas flows in good shape, 2018 saw a large number die from the release of molasses by Kiri Afgana Sugar Mill. Molasses from Kiri Angana Sugar Mill. The water of Sutlej River has become extremely polluted. The Bhakra dam is the main culprit in Sutlej’s water pollution. This is causing Sutlej to lose its existence as a river.
Even more tragic, all the tributaries from Sutlej were turned into a sewer due to the dumped chemical-rich effluents of industrial units. The river’s polluted water is spreading diseases such as cancer, jaundice, and other illnesses. Its banks are home for many people. Because of the negligence of the government, the river Sutlej is now dying prematurely.
The trees and forests are a precious gift from nature. They absorb pollutants from the air and water and clean it. According to India State of Forest Report 2019, Punjab has a forest cover of only 3.67% of the total area. This should be 33%. Punjab needs to have at minimum 29.33% more forests to maintain its natural environment. Punjab has a forest cover of 4.36 percent, which is desert.
The environment in Punjab has become extremely polluted. This has impacted the air, water and land of Punjab. It is now time to save the environment as many people in Punjab are suffering from terrible diseases caused by this pollution.
Pollution of water, air, rivers, etc. is a serious problem. pollution of air, water, rivers etc. is not a new phenomenon. Six decades ago, water and air pollution caused by unplanned industrial development in the United States of America and Canada afflicted many countries of Europe. They have overcome it.
While political parties in Punjab are silent on the issue that Punjab’s environment is polluting, political-will is needed to clean Punjab. This issue is not being addressed by the ordinary citizens of Punjab. The people of Punjab have a responsibility to make this issue a topic in the Assembly elections. They should tell the political parties that if they pay more focus on environmental issues, they will be able to win their respect.
The ruling parties in Punjab have ignored the environment, despite being pressured by industrialists and corporations. This is threatening the health, hygiene and lives of the people. Instead of falling for the trap of false promises and claims made by political party leaders, the common man should request that the parties clean up the environment and eliminate pollution.
The government has a responsibility to provide basic human needs such as clean water, sanitation, and land. The best time to alert the government is now to improve the environment in Punjab.
Gurinder Kumar was Professor in the Department of Geography at Punjabi University, Patiala.
