Vol. 58 No. 28 • January 31, 2017

Air and water are two essentials of life. However, with the pollution of these natural resources on the rise, it has become imperative to find ways of reducing man-made pollutants in the environment.

With winters getting colder day-by-day many people burn fire wood to get some warmth. This too is an example of man-made pollution. Some others are power plants, cars, airplanes and other vehicles. Over the Diwali weekend of 2016, India’s air quality was among the world’s worst. Air pollution has been linked to several health problems like asthma and lung diseases. 41 cities in India exceed the ambient air quality standard, and Mumbai is no exception.

Therefore, the Environment Committee works to educate and find ways and means on how Rotary can help improve air pollution levels in our city.

In addition to air pollution, the city is also facing the problem of water pollution due to discharge of untreated sewage. Polluted waters aren’t safe to drink or swim. Moreover, with increasing population, water scarcity has become a concern too. In many areas, water is received every alternate day, and even the most sought-after addresses in Mumbai have to depend on water tankers. The situation has worsened to such an extent that the states are fighting over river waters.

The Water Resources Committee is looking into water harvesting and ensures that good quality water reaches people. Our water plants at Malvani and Ambujwadi are a big boon to people. However, we have to reach out to many more so that our city gets its two basic amenities – clean drinking water and un-polluted air.