The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today expressed his concern over rising air pollution and underlined “ Just reflect today—air pollution index in this city. You will be amazed when you look at the desirable index, and we are getting away from it. But what is concerning is we are not serious about it. Like climate change—an existential challenge—we don’t have another planet to live on. But everyone thinks it is anybody else’s job. The job is of one and all. We are cliff hanging.”
Addressing the 27th Annual National Conference of the Indian Association for Bronchology in New Delhi today, Shri Dhankhar stressed, “We need accelerated phasing out of old vehicles. People have to understand that an old vehicle has to be discarded for reasons that concern our health. Merely because an old vehicle is functional on the road, does not reflect on its roadworthiness. That has to be done. I said public transportation. We must take pride in using public transportation. Our ego should not come in between. In many countries this is done, and here also the safest, fastest, surest way to reach an airport is through a metro, but that is something we need to make a habit of.”
“Look at the plight of children who are close to industrial areas. Look at those tender souls. The elderly exposed to biomass smoke. The farmer faces prairie or crop burning issues. The factory worker inhaling chemicals, dust. Invisible citizens whose lives are shaped by the air we breathe. I still recall a person in another country handling health department says, a sick child is assurance to the doctors for their work and pharmaceutical companies for survival. We don’t want that scenario. It will be too much for us to go for air purifiers. Selective solutions in democracy do not reflect well for democracy. Solutions have to be for one and all. Because equality is the hallmark of democracy”, he added.
Emphasising on the need for integration of technology with medical knowledge, he said, “We must bridge medicine with data science, environmental studies, engineering, and artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence—or let us put it in the broad term, disruptive technologies—these have entered our home, our way of life, our workplace, our research centres. Disruptive technologies are much beyond in impact of industrial revolutions. But the challenges have to be converted into opportunities. According to me, distinguished audience, it is a myth that this technology, when employed, will cut into human resource employability. No, you have to tame the technology. You have to use it for our advantage.”
Reflecting on the ancient wisdom for good pulmonary health, Shri Dhankhar said, “Our traditional wisdom teaches that respiratory health is inseparable from nature’s equilibrium. Reckless exploitation of nature—we are its trustees, and we have become its owners. And we are exploiting not for optimal need but for our greed. A time for all of us to think. Our fiscal prowess, our financial power cannot determine how we use these resources, which are meant not only for individual serving means but have to be utilised equitably for one and all.”
“It is time for us to go back to our wisdom and knowledge. That is our treasure, recognized by the globe. We have to see indigenous practices of seasonal living. Our elderly people always said—use vegetables which are being grown around the same time. Use fruits which are there around the same time. Forest conservation and dietary wisdom align remarkably with modern preventive medicine. We therefore have to go back to our roots”, he added.
