UPSC Express

Causes of air pollution:

• Diesel vehicles are more polluting than petrol
• They are high in PM, Nitrogen oxide not good for health
• Ban 10 year old diesel truck entering city
• Vehicular emissions
• Dust emissions from construction work, thermal power plants etc..
• Burning of wastes etc..

Major pollutants:

• Benzene – byproduct of burning diesel.
  • It is carcinogen  (cancer causing tissue)..
  • Short term inhaling causes drowsiness, headaches
  • Long term inhaling causes disorders like anemia
  • Effect on reproductive system on women and foetus
• Nitrogen di oxide 
  • From vehicle emission and coal based power plants
  • Lung infection and respiratory allergies
• Carbon mono oxide 
  • Unborn babies, infants, elderly are at risk
• Particulate matter 
  • Dust to dirt and soot
  • PM 2.5 > PM 10 (dangerous for human health, respiratory system)

How to avoid?

• Use public transportation
• Car pool
• Increase car tax during vehicle registration
• Put a cap on number of cars registered per year in the city
• Increase parking charges
• Lay more convenient roads for walking and biking
• Introduce congestion charges to avoid traffic [ congestion charge is a tax you pay to drive your private vehicles in certain zones of the city].. Cities like Singapore and London has them implemented
• Smoke emission report has to be checke