D Bankim
Delhi police tried to pour water on the burning issue of environmental degradation in Delhi by the detention of two minor school students protesting in front of the Indian Parliament. Even Central Industrial Security Forces was called for to remove the two minor protestors, nine-year-old climate activist Licypriya Kangujam and 12-year-old Aarav Seth.
The Supreme Court had last year in November, pulled up the Centre government failing to control the air quality in Delhi, saying that “the whole of north India, NCR is suffering from the issue of air pollution.” The apex court also lashed out at authorities for alleged inaction. “Can you permit people to die like this due to pollution? Can you permit the country to go back by 100 years?” asked a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra.
The national capital’s air quality, which usually declines in the winter, hit an eight-month low on Thursday with stubble burning accounting for only 6% of the city’s PM 2.5 concentration, according to government agencies.
Detention by Delhi Police outside Parliament House for protesting against air pollution in Delhi can be compared by contrast with the protest outside Sweden Parliament by Greata Thunberg. Afterwards it became an international movements of the ‘climate kid’ against Climate Change.
According to Kangujam’s Twitter account, which is managed by her guardians, the police detained them for 40 minutes. Kangujam was also taken to an unspecified location in a police vehicle.
Climate Kid Kangujam:
Kangujam said that the police gave her a warning and told her that she would be arrested the next time if she held demonstrations there.
Detained?
“But I will go & protest again.This is my right to raise the voice to give us clean air to breathe. If I don’t tell to our leaders then to whom I should tell? My demand is for them too,” Kangujam added in a tweet.
Air pollution at Delhi:
Delhi recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312. The last time the air quality hit such a poor level was in February with an AQI 320. The 24-hour average AQI was 276 on Wednesday, which falls in the ‘poor’ category. It was 300 on Tuesday, 261 on Monday, 216 on Sunday and 221 on Saturday.
Air pollution and COVID19:
Declining air quality will complicate the battle against Covid-19. Weak lungs- an outcome of constant breathing of toxic air will lead to a difficult situation to fight the disease.
Suman Mallick, head of radiation oncology at a leading hospital said, “The air pollution is one of the most important causes behind respiratory diseases and lung cancer. Thus, there is no room for debate whether worsening air quality will make the battle against Covid-19 far more difficult. The spike in cases post festival and worsening air quality will be a nightmarish combo.”
This is the time when the inversion of temperature prevents rise and dispersal of pollutants from the lower layer of the atmosphere as the warm air above and the cooler air on the surface of the earth acts like a lid trapping the pollutants at the breathing height.
Delhi police versus climate movement:
Again one thing must be keep in mind that Delhi Police is governed by Home Department, Central Government and this Policemen imposed ban on the use of Whatsapp group run by Delhi Fridays For Future. They have compelled to agree in writings as an answer to a question of a RTI petition that the Policemen are keeping continuous watch on the actions of FFF Delhi.
