Anisa Manzoor
Picture yourself residing in a house located in an elevated area, having large windows, and a rooftop terrace, from where you can not only enjoy the breathtaking view but also inhale clean air, a luxury nowadays, in the heart of the city’s most exclusive neighborhood. Despite the lavishness, the idyllic life of you and your family is being slowly but surely eroded; your lifespan is shortened by several precious years, and once the uncontaminated quality of life is contaminated by the persistent spectra of asthma, bronchitis, throat infections, and itchy eyes. Furthermore, there is a sense of worry lingering around, a mounting fear that respiratory illnesses, lung issues, and cardiovascular diseases may be just a stone’s throw away, leaving a mark on your otherwise luxuriant place of abode. This is how the capital of AJ&K, Muzaffarabad has encountered a problem of air quality. This paradoxical fact, the contradiction between privileged circumstances and the compromised quality of life is the standout characteristic of life in Muzaffarabad. While Lahore and Karachi have been in ferocious competition, for the past few years, to claim the top spots on the Air Quality Index for the world’s worst air quality, Muzaffarabad, a city recognized for the abundance of nature, is at present grappling with this serious problem as well, surpassing the dangerous levels. Once a haven of clean air, the ambient Air Quality Report has raised the alarm and recorded an AQI of 223?falling into the ‘unhealthy’ category (201-300). In response to the mounting air pollution, the AJK Environmental Protection Agency recently declared an ‘unhealthy air quality alert’, a concerning revelation that depicts the city is on the verge of a social, economic, and environmental crisis, with PM2.5 and PM10 the principle components of winter haze pollution. The onset of winter exacerbates air pollution, leading to smog, acting like a lid and trapping pollutants close to the surface, especially in basins and valleys, disrupting traffic and work life Usually, the smog season extends from the beginning of November to the end of February. This adversely affects the 650,370 population, residing in Muzaffarabad, resulting in economic losses, hindering education, and disrupting travel and transportation. The city’s borders are being pushed, and uncontrolled growth and rapid urbanization in the region forecast that almost 0.730 million population will reside in the capital city by 2025, heightening concerns over air pollution. An increase in mining and wood-burning activities, increased vehicle emissions, unchecked construction, and traffic congestion are all seriously overwhelming the city’s assimilative capacity. Failing to address this issue immediately could expose this population to harmful air quality, causing significant economic and social repercussions. The urgency to control air pollution is evident in the dire consequences it poses, emphasizing the need for preventive measures to protect the well-being of the projected urban population. Air quality deterioration results from several anthropogenic activities, including industrial effluents, vehicular emissions, fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, wood-burning, waste burning, and agricultural practices. Population growth exacerbates these emissions. In Muzaffarabad, complex sources contribute to air pollution including, vehicular emissions, unsafe construction practices, deforestation, and wood burning. An efficient public transport system to facilitate the general public is absent causing increase in the number of automobiles and emissions. Several harmful pollutants like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen are being released into the atmosphere due to fossil fuel burning activities. Deforestation and wood-burning practices release stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, a potential greenhouse gas causing global warming. Muzaffarabad, being a nature’s bounty, surrounded by lush landscape, and diverse flora and fauna, should ideally be free from air pollution due to its potential as a natural filter for pollutants – through reforestation and afforestation activities. The reforestation and afforestation programs have the potential to preserve biodiversity, promote sustainable urban planning, enhance the green cover, and create natural buffers against pollution. The carbon sequestration potential of the native and well-adapted species including Himalayan Cedar, Pine species, and Chinar trees highlights their importance not only for the health of the ecosystem but also in the universal context of climate change mitigation. Protecting and restoring the forest ecosystem can contribute considerably to measures aimed at reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Land use management regulations are another area demanding immediate attention. The unregulated construction and unsustainable development activities are taking place at the expense of green cover, depriving the city of natural air filters. Cutting and burning of forested areas must be regulated to ensure sufficient green spaces around cities. This is essential for a balanced ecosystem and a win-win for both nature and the well-being of the communities in the area. The implementation and policy gaps must be identified and actions should be taken to address air pollution. The costs of inaction are high. Stricter laws and bold measures are required to tackle the problem permanently. Strengthening the implementation arm of law enforcement agencies will enable the courts to penalize polluters. Through a cross-sectional approach, the Clean Air Policy should be implemented in synergy with the AJ&K Climate Change Policy and Environmental Protection Act through a bottom-up approach. Other steps to reduce pollution include increasing incentives to accelerate the shift to clean energy sources. Real-time tracking of data and sharing the information with the public would enable people to make knowledgeable decisions. Engaging communities and local bodies will be extremely valuable in creating a better and cleaner environment for all people. Adopting environmentally friendly habits, including transportation habits urge people to use public transportation and carpool to cut down on vehicle emissions. Engaging in neighborhood cleanups and tree planting drives, among other local efforts, gives residents a concrete means of fighting poor air quality and promoting sustainability in the community. There is an increasing chorus of calls raising concerns about the impact of air pollution, demanding enhanced enforcement mechanisms, and more frequent revisions to emission standards. These calls of the general public must be heard and answered. It is time to work together to guarantee Muzaffarabad a more sustainable and healthy future by deploying a proactive approach rather than a reactionary one
