New Delhi, May 3 Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday flagged ageing vehicles as a major cause for the National Capital’s toxic air, underlining the need for a collective and serious approach to address the health emergency.
Addressing the 27th Annual National Conference of the Indian Association for Bronchology, 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.”
He expressed concern over rising air pollution and said the city’s air pollution index was getting worse than the desirable level.
“What is concerning is that 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 for one and all. We are cliff-hanging,” he said.
Calling for the phasing out of old vehicles, Dhankhar said, “Merely because an old vehicle is functional on the road, does not reflect on its roadworthiness.”
He also called for Delhiites to take pride in using public transport. “We must take pride in using public transportation. Our ego should not come between us. 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.”
Emphasising 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, 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,” said the Vice President.
Reflecting on the ancient wisdom for good pulmonary health, Dhankhar said, “Our traditional wisdom teaches that respiratory health is inseparable from nature's equilibrium.”
“It is time for us to go back to our wisdom and knowledge. That is our treasure, recognised by the globe. We have to see indigenous practices of seasonal living,” he said.
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