Over 300 children from Dhanbad, amongst the most polluted cities of the country and coal hub of Jharkhand, concerned about the detrimental effects of air pollution especially during the winters took to the streets on Friday advocating for their right to breathe clean air, in observance of Child Rights Week.

Children took part in a walk for clean air spreading the message of their right to breathe clean air carrying banners and placards.

The starting point was Swami Vivekanand Inter College, Mahuda and the end point was Mahuda Police Station. Schools from Dhanbad like Swami Vivekanand Inter College, Ravi Mahto School, DAV Mahuda and many other government and private schools as well as organizations like Swabhiman and Mahuda Women self-help group were also part of the walk.

Incidentally, Jharkhand emerged as India’s eighth most polluted state according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) annual report released in June 2022.

While Jharia had topped the list of polluted towns in India among the 313 surveyed in a 2019 Greenpeace India (Airpocalypse-IV) report, Dhanbad was the second most polluted. The report found that PM (particulate matters) 10 level in Jharia was 295 µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) in 2017. Greenpeace said Jharia’s air would have 207 µg/m3 of PM 10
even if air pollution levels were trimmed by 30 percent by 2024.

Dhanbad followed Jharia to be the second most polluted city in the same report having PM-10 level at 264 µg/m3.

“An entire generation of children are in jeopardy, Our survey with children and youth shows, that they are deeply concerned about air pollution, the solutions are in front of us, and even children know it — It is time to come together for our future generation and secure their right to healthy clean air,” said SwitchON Foundation managing director Vinay M. Jaju.

“Even UNICEF has predicted that air pollution will become the leading cause of child mortality by 2050. However, all children should have the right to breathe clean air,” added Jaju.

A flash survey done by pan India NGO SwitchON Foundation on the children and youth’s perception of air quality in Jharkhand revealed that 93.4 per cent of children and youth conveyed the belief that air pollution represents a substantial threat to human health.

The survey was conducted among a total of 572 youth to assess their perceptions of air pollution.

It was found that the youth population perceives vehicles and industries as prominent factors of air pollution in their localities, with 44.4 per cent pointing to vehicles as the primary cause while 36.7 per cent of youth consider the industry as the second most air pollutant in the state. Mining, road dust and vehicles contribute the third most air pollutants in the state.