| Biswo |
Posted
on 14-Feb-01 09:04 PM
Mexico city,in our most common metaphor, is a synonym with the
most polluted city, frequently epitomizing the ghastly nightmare
of the local environmentalists in Kathmandu. Mexico city was not
always like this: before 1940, Mexico city was best known for its
clean air and spectacular views of snowcapped volcanoes.With the
heavy concentration of wealth and industrial force, Mexico city's
population has jumped from 3 million in 1950 to 18 million today,
and the industrial pollution thereby created has made those
mountains invisible.
Like the city of Lanzhou, Mexico city also lies in high altitude
and sorrounded by several moutains.(Lanzhou,China is generally
considered the most polluted city in the world).High elevation and
intense sunlight are key factors in creating the smog that plagues
the city.Air pollution is worst in winter, when there is less rain
and thermal inversions are more common.
Thanks to the Nobel laureate Dr Mario Molina(Professor MIT, Nobel
prize in Chemistry,1995, and a native Mexican)'s efforts, the city
has now vigorously activated its cleansing efforts. New President
Vincent Fox has installed former Molina collegue Claudia Sheinbaum
as the head of Proaire(organization responsible for cleaning air
in Mexico city), and set ten years (2001-10) as the target period
for the mission. Dr Molina and other scientists from several
nations has recommended 71 points to diminish the pollution that
has been linked to an increase in deaths caused by particles in
the air measuring less than 10 microns in diameter.Those particles
are believed to be contribution of incomplete combustion of fossil
fuels in vehicles and factories.
The strategy to control air pollution in Mexico city can be
divided by sectors:vehicles,fuels and transportation policies.
Reducing the amount of sulphur in gasoline, diesel emissions
control and improvements to the vehicular emissions monitoring
program are priorities for the amelioration of air quality right
now.
Rightnow, Proaire is pretty much set to follow the path set by Dr
Molina. The quality of air will be constantly monitored to find
out the progress of such efforts.Formerly, Molina's monitoring of
toxic particles (of less than 10 micron in diameter) in the city
had revealed that air pollution in Mexico city causes respiratory
and cardiovascular diseases. Dr Molina has also suggested that two
thermoelectric power plants be removed from Mexico city.
Mexico city is now pondering for substituting vehicle emitting
public buses with microbuses, increasing-state-of-the-art
technology public buses plying in the street, and is also asking
the state owned petroleum company PEMEX to produce better quality
gasoline,with low sulfur content.The city will also start monitoring diesel vehicles to monitor particles in the air of less
than 2.5 microns in diameter.The city will also control the diesel
burning trucks which are particularly detrimental to the city
environment.
The city of Kathmandu has much more in common with the Mexico
City.I guess such measures applied in Mexico city can be studied
in our perspective also.Rather than lobbying blindly for this or
that commercial product, and crossing finger for the amelioration
of stratosphere above KTM later, we should start a regular
monitoring of air quality, and based on the data model obtained by
such monitoring, we can move ahead with better program.
Dr Mario Molina's research summary is available online at:
http://eaps.mit.edu/megacities/overview.html
(a part of this report is also based in ENS news.)
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