Atmospheric Pollution in Cantonment Area

Atmospheric Pollution in Cantonment Area

The Gruhalakshmi colony where I live is surrounded by open drainage nalas on both sides. Thanks to greedy plot owners much of it has been closed with concrete slabs and the space utilised for car shed or cow shed and the like. Nalas are still open in pockets where there are unoccupied plots. During rainy days they choke due to debris being thrown into it and it is a bother to get them cleaned of blockage.

Somewhere up the stream, long way off, there are chemical industries – small scale, they say. Their effluents are supposed to be transported by lorry to effluent treatment plants regularly. But the lazy drivers manage to empty the contents into open nala some where up the stream during nights, say around, 3:30 am surreptitiously.  The effluents would reach nalas adjoining our colony around 4:40 am or so. The stench would be so obnoxious that we will be woken up when we are fast asleep. This nuisance would persist in the air till around 7:30 am.

The atmospheric pollution is harmful to even normally healthy people. What to say about asthmatic people? What about people meditating or those doing pranayama etc? How about morning walkers? I knew at least one senior suffering from Alzheimer’s disease whose mood swings during such ‘bad’ days got affected and the family had to silently endure it as they could do nothing about it.

Complaining? To whom? Police and SCB? All our efforts have fallen on deaf ears for years.

I have a suspicion that the local police personnel do have some knowledge about the offenders: For, whenever we complain, the crime is suspended for some time as if the offenders have been orally warned! But certainly, the relief is temporary.

My friend, philosopher and Guide – one Dr Thomas – used to advise: Learn to count your blessings and avoid dwelling upon negative things over which you don’t have any control. Following his advice, I realised that this stench from pollution tells me that my smelling capabilities are still in tact indicating that COVID-19 has not touched me yet.