Air Pollution in India: Breathing Becomes Costly! After Pure Water, Now Clean Air Also Comes at a Higher Price

Water purifiers have been in vogue for drinking water for several decades. Now, to combat toxic air, people have started installing air purifiers and various types of plants in their homes. In the pursuit of clean water and clean air, the burden on the pockets of common people is increasing. Read the special report.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in most cities across the country, including the capital Delhi, has reached levels ranging from poor to hazardous. In Delhi, the AQI has consistently remained between 300 and over 700 for a considerable time. The presence of toxic chemical elements in the air is causing significant health problems for people. Ordinary citizens are spending a lot of money to protect themselves by installing air purifiers and various types of plants (like rubber and snake plants) in their homes.

First Water Became Dirty, Now Air is Poisonous

About six to seven decades ago, people used to drink water from wells, stepwells, and rivers. When people went to doctors for water-related illnesses, they would advise them to install handpumps. Doctors concerned about society also advised that if handpump water was not available, well water could be boiled and filtered through a cotton cloth before drinking. This was a matter of public health, but central and state governments, in the public interest, installed handpumps in every city and village.

A New Thing Comes to Market and a Race to Acquire It Ensues'

People faced numerous difficulties in fetching water. So, people started installing handpumps by withdrawing money from their savings. Anupam Mishra, author of 'Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talab' and an environmentalist, told this writer in a conversation, "When a handpump, water purifier, or any new name appears in the market, we get into a race to acquire it. If one person installs a handpump, the entire village then tries to get one installed at their place. People don't think much about its pros and cons. The market, for its own benefit, gets slogans and advertisements promoted by ministries and governments." The market saw an opportunity in handpumps, and handpumps began to appear all over India.

The Trend of Filtering and Drinking Pure and Palatable River Water Began

Dinesh Mishra, 81, who dedicated himself to water-related work after studying engineering at IIT Kharagpur, recalls his childhood: "I used to study in Agra. Every summer vacation, we would go to our maternal grandparents' village in Azamgarh district. This must have been around 1955-56. To reach the village, we had to cross the Tamsa river. Right on the riverbank was a hut with a handpump outside. We would take a 'lota' or glass from the hut, draw water from the handpump, and drink it. Once, an old man sitting nearby asked me sarcastically, 'Will you filter and drink the pure and palatable river water?'"

No Trust in Municipal Water, Will Have to Install Water Purifier

Dinesh Mishra says he has never forgotten the old man's face or his question. Describing the situation in his village, Mubarakpur, in Azamgarh district, he says, "Both wells in my house dried up decades ago. For decades now, municipal water comes to the house at a fixed time. I am not confident about how healthy the water supplied by the municipality is. Although we have to pay for the municipal supply water as well. Now, I will have to install a water purifier in my village too."

After Handpumps, a Race for Water Filters and Then Water Purifiers Began

Umesh Lalwani, proprietor of Vijay Sales in Mansarovar, Jaipur, started selling water purifiers in 2002. He used to work for a company then, with a target of selling 8 water purifiers every month. Umesh Lalwani holds the agency for Vijay Sales. He told Patrika that he sells 100-150 water purifiers every month. He explains that the annual maintenance for water purifiers varies by area. In the Mansarovar area of Jaipur, the AMC for a water purifier is ₹2700, while in Jagatpura, it is ₹3500 annually. Why is this so? In response, he says, "The TDS level in the water is lower in Mansarovar, while it is much higher in Jagatpura. Annual maintenance charges are levied based on the TDS."

Demand for Air Purifiers is Increasing in Jaipur

Do you also sell air purifiers? In response to this question, Umesh explains that the air in Jaipur is not as bad as Delhi yet. However, there is a demand for 5 to 6 air purifiers from Jaipur throughout the year. He mentioned that the demand for air purifiers is now coming from Delhi. Yesterday, they sent 5 air purifiers to Delhi. He stated that the most in-demand air purifier in the market costs around ₹15,000-₹16,000.

'Where Does This Smoke Rise From?'

Delhi's Air Pollution and air purifiers, environmentalist Sopan Joshi, when spoken to by Patrika, quoted the famous Delhi poet Mir's ghazal: "Dekh toh dil ki jaa se uthta hai, ye dhuaan-sa kahan se uthta hai" (Look, from the heart, it rises; from where does this smoke-like thing rise?). He further added, "This couplet is about 250 years old, and while Mir might not have meant air quality, today everyone is asking this question. He points out that air pollution is taking away 8 to 10 years from our lives. In Delhi, this figure is 10 years, while in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, it is 7-8 years. There is also a statistic that every third child born in Delhi is currently found to have weak lungs.

What Percentage of People in the Country Can Afford Water and Air Purifiers?

Sopan Joshi states that humans did not create nature; rather, nature created humans. However, humans, especially the affluent, want to buy everything. Now, if a water purifier is necessary, what percentage of people in India will be able to afford it? Similarly, if an air purifier becomes necessary, what percentage of people will be able to buy it? The affluent may try to acquire resources until their last breath, but what about those who do not have money? The responsibility of cleaning water and air should be taken by the government, as all governments are elected by the people.