Women lead the charge against air pollution in one of the most polluted (air) cities of the country.
Paryavaran sakhis (friends of the environment) aided by an NGO working for the cause of the environment are striving hard to push collieries follow pollution norms, fight air pollution and climate change by creating awareness, building local support and impacting interventions in Dhanbad and Bokaro districts of Jharkhand.
Significantly, Jharkhand had emerged as India’s eighth most polluted state according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) annual report released in June 2022.
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 the PM (particulate matter) 10 level in Jharia was 295 µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter). The Greenpeace report predicted that Jharia’s air would have 207 µg/m3 of PM 10 even if air pollution levels were trimmed by 30 per cent by 2024.
Dhanbad followed Jharia to be the second most polluted city in the same report having PM-10 level at 264 µg/m3.
There are 10 “Paryavaran Sakhis” in Dhanbad and Bokaro districts who have been helped by Deshaj Abhikram, a Jharkhand-based social organization working on the issue of climate change in the state.
“The dust emanating from nearby coal mines and a power plant would enter the homes of residents causing discomfort and health issues like cold, cough and burning eyes. It was due to our sustained efforts that the coal mine administration took up measures to arrest the dust including installation of sprinklers on the road and putting up green curtains to cover the area,” said Rekha Devi, one of the paryavaran sakhis from Jarangdih North panchayat in Bokaro.
“It was during a meeting arranged by the social organization that we were told about the hazardous impacts that air pollution has on the health of those exposed to it. The way doctors and experts spoke about the consequences that it can have on our health, we realized that we must do something. I took up the task of convincing the colliery administration and after several rounds of convincing, they finally agreed to set up nets and sprinklers,” added Rekha Devi.
The paryavaran sakhis began their journey of working on the issue in 2023, armed with air quality monitors in their hands. They measured pollution levels in various parts of their neighbourhood and noted them down. They also tried to understand if the residents made a connection between the health issues that they are facing such as frequent cold, cough and asthma with the polluted air.
“The exercise made us realise some of the sources of pollution. We then came up with a plan to address this issue. From planting more trees that are useful in purifying the air to speaking to the officials of various coal mines and power plants, we are doing all that it takes to ensure that the air that we
and our children breathe is clean,” said Lakshmi Kumari, a paryavaran sakhi from Dhanbad.
Some of the paryavaran sakhis have also convinced the colliery authorities to install air quality monitors outside the plants to keep monitoring the air quality in the locality which can prompt them to take necessary measures apart from making the locals aware of the pollution levels.
Shekhar, the founder of Deshaj Abhikram, said that the idea behind the programme was to ensure that women understand the linkages between pollution and health and take leadership on the issue.
