Like Polio, India Can Eradicate Pollution: UN senior official

New Delhi: India has scripted success in eradicating polio and tackling other health emergencies and there is no reason why the country cannot do so for air pollution, UN Environment chief Erik Solheim has said at a time several north Indian cities, including Delhi, are battling alarming levels of pollution.

Mr Solheim has expressed confidence that the country can tackle air pollution, which he said is one of the world’s biggest killers and a global public health emergency.

The UN Environment chief termed air pollution as a “crisis” that requires government, policy-makers, scientists and civil society to come together to mitigate, and asserted “we need to count on the support of the public in this”.

Air pollution in cities in India, especially in Delhi and its neighbouring states, have reached alarming levels and had gone off the charts after Diwali when the air quality dipped to severe levels, prompting authorities to enforce emergency measures such as ban on construction activities and entry of heavy vehicles into the national capital.

“The sad truth is that Indian cities are not alone in their suffering. Poor air quality is one of the world’s biggest killers and a global public health emergency. This was clear at the recent WHO conference on air pollution, where air pollution was declared on a par with tobacco in the nature of the risk it poses to human life.”