Last week Sri Lanka experienced low air quality and it was said that this we may have to experience this situation from November to March (next year) every year.
Some health professionals said that the low air quality may persist for one or two weeks. We cannot control certain things that are beyond our control but we certainly can control ourselves and protect our own health.
This is why we discuss this topic today. Everyone tries to blame each other but only a few offer solutions. What is useful is looking at solutions.
Sri Lanka’s air quality improved significantly by 8.00 a.m on December 9th (Friday) according to the Air Quality Index (AQI). The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) stated that the atmospheric pollution experienced in Sri Lanka is clearing gradually as the pollution level of the airflow from India to Sri Lanka is now receding fast.
Air quality was recorded at 80 in Colombo, 71 in Kurunegala, 63 in Vavuniya, 94 in Kandy, 83 in Kegalle, 43 in Galle, 71 in Ratnapura and Kalutara and 83 in Hambantota.
The index is based on the measurement of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), Ozone (O3), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) emissions.
Experts’ warn
Health experts warned last week as the quality of air in many parts of the island dropped further to an unhealthy level. Children, elders and those who are suffering from respiratory ailments and allergies were advised against prolonged outdoor activities due to the low air quality in the country. They were urged to wear face masks while outdoors.
It was reported that an influx of particulate matter had contaminated Sri Lanka’s air space through strong winds from India.
But we talk about ourselves and Sri Lanka today and we do not talk about a foreign country. It is because we cannot control or change the happenings in foreign countries which are beyond our control. But we can control and change ourselves and our country. We can protect ourselves if we know what is going on and what can be done about it. Unfortunately, all social media did not pay any attention at all to this and they were full of various funny stuff about a foreign country.
Last week Environment Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe advised children, elders and those who suffer from respiratory ailments and allergies to refrain from engaging in outdoor activities due to the low air quality in the country. They are urged to wear face masks if they engage in outdoor activities. Consultants advised people to see a doctor as soon as possible if they notice any advancement in their diseases such as Asthma.
People can very easily blame others but it is difficult to change themselves and find solutions. The most difficult part is changing one's attitude towards something and implementing the available solutions. The best example set by the Sri Lankan people during the past COVID-19 period.
The solution for the low quality of air is very similar. It is wearing a good mask properly. Unfortunately, by now what people hate most is wearing a mask. It is very interesting to see how mother nature forces people to change themselves in order to protect others!
By now wearing a mask has become very simple and cheap. People can buy various types of masks from anywhere in the country and sometimes some people sell masks in buses and trains like they sell peanuts etc. But unfortunately people do not wear masks now. Some women who like to use makeup do not like to wear masks. Men smoke and cough all the time. They do not wear masks. The funniest part is some people who wear masks just remove them and sneeze! They remove the mask and talk. Then they wear their mask on the upper part of their face (below the nose and chin).
People can protect themselves by not going out unnecessarily and not getting involved in heavy work / sports etc. outside. This is not forever and this is only for a few days or for one week. But people never accept the advice given by consultants and health authorities. They think it is not important because they do not feel the health impact instantly. It is too late by the time they experience the health impact. A few days is like one whole year for some people.
People were advised to wear a mask while going out but they gave a deaf ear to that health advice. This is not the worst part of the story. Some people hate when other people wear a good mask and protect themselves from all types of germs. Sometimes, they openly show their disapproval of wearing masks in public. This negative trend will have a huge impact on Sri Lankan society during all future pandemics which need to use masks as a preventive measure.
The other solution given by the consultants to protect people from air pollution is staying at home without going out for unnecessary things. They said this does not mean that people should not go to work and for other essential requirements.
The issue with the Sri Lankan people was observed very clearly during the COVID-19 period. The most difficult thing to do for them is staying at home. Even (then) the Government brought everything to their door steps, they went out for unnecessary things and spread the Coronavirus.
There were people who got together with their neighbours and indulged in group activities such as holding parties forgetting the health regulations. It is the same now. No matter if they can breathe or not, they want to go out. Staying at home for one or two days is similar to being in prison for them.
The other advice given by consultants is to seek immediate medical treatment if already sick, or if they notice any increase in their Chronic diseases (especially chronic respiratory diseases), Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) etc.
But people seek medical treatment only when they cannot breathe and when the situation becomes unbearable for them. Then it is too late for even the best consultant and the best hospital to save them. It happened on numerous occasions during the COVID-19 period. The entire country witnessed it at that time. The situation is still the same when seeking medical treatment for any disease. People do not like to seek immediate medical treatment and only a handful of people seek immediate medical treatment.
Self-centred behaviour
We cannot control certain factors in the world and what we can do is act within our limits. But the majority of Sri Lankans never do this. They hate changing their lifestyles and behavioural patterns in keeping with the requirements and conditions. They burn everything possible inside their tiny home gardens every day polluting the air with cancerous substances. They never listen to the advice of consultants and environmentalists.
The rich people use one vehicle for each family member while they can very easily reduce the number of vehicles used. They never think about the environment and only enjoy the fresh air by visiting distant unpolluted places during their vacations. They think that is enough and they pollute those unpolluted places.
Small and medium scale factory owners only think about their profits and release all cancerous substances into the air without thinking about the deadly effects of lung cancers. They never spend even a cent to purify the air populated by them. They also do the same as rich people and travel on vacations to distant unpolluted places to enjoy the fresh air. They also think that is enough for their health which is a total myth.
Those rich people who pollute the air think that the fresh air they get when they go on trips to distant unpolluted areas is adequate for their health and they think all the other time they can stay inside air conditioned buildings. But the reality is lung cancers do not develop at once according to the oncologists. Lung cancers develop over the years by gradually adding cancerous substances collected in. It takes years. But unfortunately a lot of people do not know this fact.
The relevant authorities turn a deaf ear and a blind eye whenever the affected people complain to them. The innocent ordinary people get justice only when they protest blocking roads and the media report such protests. Without such protests and media publicity ordinary people rarely get justice when they face air pollution.
We as individual citizens of Mother Lanka can do our best to protect our health and the health of all the others. We have to do a very simple thing in order to achieve this. That is to follow the advice given to us by the consultants and environmentalists. We can gather knowledge by reading, watching videos etc. We can do our part by protecting ourselves and our environment, especially the air that we breathe if we act with a prudent and responsible manner.
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