KARACHI: Unfit vehicles on roads add to growing pollution: Environment Day
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, June 4: Karachiites will observe the World Environment Day on June 5 amidst disturbing reports that the government has decided to delay the phasing out of thousands of two-stroke auto-rickshaws, buses, minibuses, trucks, delivery vans and pickups, which are contributing to air and noise pollution.
As part of the World Environment Day, various NGOs, government departments and universities will hold walks, seminars and other activities in the city on Tuesday.
The United Nations started observing the World Environment Day in 1972. This year’s theme for the day is “Melting ice: a hot topic?” which focuses on the effects that climate change is having on polar ecosystem and communities.
Since pre-industrial era, the earth has warmed by about 0.75 degree centigrade, experts say adding that eleven of the warmest years recorded in the past 125 years came in the period from 1990 to 2007.
Experts say 2005 was the warmest year on record. In this century, earth warming is projected to range between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees centigrade which would result in receding of glaciers worldwide, shrinking of Arctic ice cap, accelerating the sea level rise, earlier break-up of river and lake ice, increase in the intensity and duration of tropical storms, and shifts in plant and animal ranges and behaviours.
In a message on the eve of World Environmental Day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are causing the world to get warmer. Concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now is the highest in the past 600,000 years and the rate of increase is accelerating, he says, adding that the most dramatic evidence of climate change is found in the Polar Region.
“On this Day, let us recognise the need to slow the momentum of the dramatic environmental changes we are seeing at the poles and around the globe. And let each of us pledge to do our part to fight climate change,” he concludes.
A science teacher at the University of Karachi suggests a shift to low-carbon and renewable resources such as solar and wind power, bio-energy and geothermal energy to bring about improvement in energy efficiency.
“We can also go for planting trees, which can help slowing the climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide as they grow and reduce pollution, protect water catchments and reduce soil erosion,” he says.
Referring to increasing pollution hazards, the Pakistan Medical Association, Karachi, says the main sources of local environmental concerns are improper disposal of industrial and tanneries effluents and littering of municipal garbage. With the increase in the level of air pollution, the cases of cough, headache, respiratory tract obstruction, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, carcinoma of lungs, nasal, throat, skin and eye problems are on the rise.
The PMA expressed grave concern over the unchecked emissions from public transport and maintained that noise pollution in Karachi was much higher than other cities because of auto-rickshaws and use of pressure horns.
As part of World Environment Day celebrations, the Federal Urdu University of the Arts, Science and Technology will hold a seminar at its auditorium on Tuesday at 10am, following which teachers and students of science faculty will participate in a walk beginning from the Science campus to NIPA roundabout. The Karachi University’s Institute of Environmental Studies will launch an HEC-sponsored workshop on “Bio-safety, health and environment: a new frontier” the same day on the campus at 9am.
Pakistan National Committee of IUCN members will organise a session at IUCN country office.
The Sindh Environment and Alternative Energy Department will also hold a seminar on the issue at Arts Council at 4pm.
