Bengaluru: After a wave of widespread violence in the city over Cauvery water sharing, Bengaluru residents would now have to brace for air pollution caused due to large scale burning of vehicles and other public property.
“West Bengaluru saw a lot of protests where buses and tyres were burnt. The air pollution in these areas increased by 28.8 percent, when compared with normal days. There are a 100 different chemicals emanating from the torched vehicles made of metals, paint and rubber,” said Lakshman, Chairman of Karnataka Pollution Control Board.
“During normal days the particulate matter in the air was well within national limit. During the protests and violence, it included fine soot and road dust. Burning of rubber tyres has the worst impact on air quality, apart from bus seats,” said Dr. B. Nagappa, Scientific Officer, KSPCB.
Dr Sandeep, Consultant Pulmonologist at BGS hospital said, “The gases emitted from burning rubber tyres is very harmful. It affects the oxygen capacity in the blood. Those who have been exposed for long near burning buses could suffer from reactive airway dysfunction syndrome, an asthma like illness, acute lung injury and other respiratory problems.”
While both the KSPCB officials are confident that the recent pollution caused by protests, will subside due to the rain, Dr. Sandeep felt otherwise. “The weather is colder now so there will be smog collecting in the air, that will remain for weeks.”
‘Protect Cauvery catchment areas’
“When there is serious conflict on sharing Cauvery water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, it would be vital to protect the Cauvery catchment in Kodagu from further damage and degradation,” said Colonel Muthanna, President of Coorg Wildlife Society.
The society along with Save Cauvery Foundation discussed the real issues causing failure in monsoon and water shortage in Karnataka. They revealed that 55,000 trees were cut in Coorg for a 400KV high tension power line, resulting in tree loss, low water inflow into KRS Dam and rise in silt deposits.
The Coorg district or Kodagu, is the birthplace of the river and accounts for 70 percent inflow into the dam. Colonel Muthanna held large scale land conversion for commercial purposes such as resorts, hotels and housing layout along with linear development projects such as highway expansion and railways, responsible for the water scarcity in the state.
A Right to Information query filed by them revealed that over 2,800 acres of land in this area have been lost in 10 years, to commercial establishments, many of which are illegal.
