India observes National Pollution Prevention Day on December 2 to create awareness among people about environmental pollution and its disastrous consequences.
The objectives of National Pollution Control Day
- To spread awareness on managing and controlling industrial disasters
- To prevent the pollution produced by industrial processes or human negligence
- To make people and industries aware of the importance of pollution control acts
National Pollution Control Day History
The National Pollution Control Day is observed every year on this day in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas tragedy. Bhopal gas tragedy was a gas leak incident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and killed thousands of people. The effects of that disaster are felt even now, after more than three decades. Officially, 3,787 victims were killed in the gas release, and 574,366 were injured.
Pollution in India
Pollution is a major problem for our planet earth. India has the world's worst air pollution. 22 of the world's 30 most polluted cities are in India. India's toxic air kills more than one million people each year. Around 7 million people die every year due to air pollution around the world. Globally, nine out of ten people do not have access to clean and safe air.
As per Niti Aayog, overall, 70 percent of the freshwater sources in India were found to be contaminated and India ranks 120 out of 122 countries in terms of water quality. Borgen Magazine reports that around 80% of India's water is severely polluted because people dump raw sewage, silt and garbage into the country's rivers and lakes.
Noise pollution is also a major problem in India. Noise pollution leads to serious health threats like hearing loss or impairedness, increasing stress levels, behavioral and mental problems, insomnia, heart ailments, hypertension and many more.
Legislative Measures to Prevent Pollution
India has enacted a large number of rules and regulations to prevent and control pollution. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was constituted in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
It is very essential to implement the rules and regulations properly to protect the environment and to reduce pollution.
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