Page 13 - Nai Udaan December 2024 Final

Book Review Need to know

Siddharth Singh is an
Indian author and
The Great Smog of India environmental policy
expert known for his
book The Great Smog
of India. In this
by Siddharth Singh insightful work, he
India's
examines
escalating air pollution
crisis, exploring its
causes, consequences,
Siddharth Singh's The Great Smog of India is an and potential
anecdote of one of India's most concerning issues: Air solutions. Drawing
pollution. In the book, the author talks about the issue on his expertise,
in a compelling manner and makes the readers Singh delves into the
understand the causes, impacts, and probable role of industrialization,
urbanization, agriculture,
solutions to the crisis the country is constantly facing. and energy policies
in contributing to
The book provides a comprehensive view of air poor air quality.
pollution in India, delves into its historical context,
scientific basis, and the socio-political dimensions.
The author breaks down complex topics such as the role of
agricultural burning, vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and
urban development in contributing to the infamous smog that
chokes Indian cities. Each chapter begins with a story and then draws parallels with the
different aspects of the pollution and how it is affecting our lives.

01 The Silence of the Crisis

The chapter begins with an anecdote of an explosion occurring in the capital in 2005
and then builds up on how air pollution has been killing more people than in the
wars between India and Pakistan. It also throws light on how it has been impacting
our lives as the hospitals are flooded with patients and the new born children
having permanent lungs damage.

02 Love in the time of Air pollution

The second chapter focusses on the how the exposure to PM2.5 has increased the
risk on lungs and results in number of cardiovascular diseases in the delhiites. A
survey is mentioned which reveals that nearly 30 percent of Delhi’s population is
suffering from lung diseases which is 12 times higher then the national average. It
also mentions the primary sources of pollution in the city being of coal combustion
for power, agricultural burning and transport (vehicular pollution).

03 The metrological misfortune

The chapter describes what forms the great Smog of India and the factors that have been
affecting it. The thick blanket of the smog forms a dangerous mixture of gases being trapped
inside resulting in low visibility, unbreathable air and cause of many ailments and in some
cases deaths. It warns us of the dangers of air apocalypse while mentioning the necessity of
stringent actions to oppose it.

-2024
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