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By Rajkamal Rao
Go back to Comparing Life US v. India
Clean Air
In India, the air quality is bad and getting worse. India has the worst air pollution in the entire world, beating China, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, according to a study released at the 2012 World Economic Forum in. The New York Times reports that particulate matter is one of the leading causes of acute lower respiratory infections and cancer. Although the city is one of the most beautiful in the country because of its breathtaking landscapes, one can see smog even on a clear day.
Returning families have to get used to the idea that, in general, they will face vastly increased levels of pollution in India. The only complete remedy is avoidance but this is not practical. We assume that returning families have the financial ability to travel in air conditioned vehicles, spend most of their work day in comfortable environments and live in fairly comfortable housing. Thus, while we acknowledge that pollution is a major problem for the country at large, it is still manageable for the returning family.
Not all cities have the same intensity of air pollution, and this goes to show that local policies can make a big difference in the quality of life. Some cities with a history of air and water pollution have begun taking discrete steps to make lives better for their residents. The city of Agra requires zero emission vehicles in and around the Taj Mahal/Agra Fort complex - even if this means battery-powered, camel and horse carts.
Clean Water
Water quality in the US is excellent. The public water supply is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the individual states. Public water is regularly tested for the presence of hundreds of impurities, and when testing indicates a problem, corrective actions are taken. Distribution systems are excellent with all households connected to the public water system getting water on a 24x7 basis.
In India, availability of safe water continues to be an issue, although the northern states are blessed with plenty of rivers. According to Water In Asia, Water Research & Reports, an estimated 75% of the nation’s residents live in water-stressed areas. Most Indian cities do not distribute water for more than a few hours per day. In some cities, water distribution occurs only a few times a week - each time for a couple of hours - despite significant investments in water infrastructure. The tremendous population growth in the country, coupled with the migration of rural workers to the big cities along with a dwindling water table has created inordinate demands on the nation’s fresh water supplies.
Returning families can manage the water issue by leveraging bore wells or other private sources of water, such as tanker supplies. In fact, most private villa and apartment communities offer continuous water supply as a key selling feature. Critics contend that private ownership of water and lack of a legal framework to govern boundaries between public and private water ownership further exacerbates the issue, but returning families are really left with no choice.
It is not generally known where these tankers get their water from. Some get water from depleting streams outside the city or from borewells. Regardless of the source of water, advanced water filtration equipment is needed in the home to consume this water. Filtration is further discussed in the section on kitchen appliances. Private water is expensive and costs up to 8 times more than municipal water.
Go back to Comparing Life US v. India
Clean Air
In India, the air quality is bad and getting worse. India has the worst air pollution in the entire world, beating China, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, according to a study released at the 2012 World Economic Forum in. The New York Times reports that particulate matter is one of the leading causes of acute lower respiratory infections and cancer. Although the city is one of the most beautiful in the country because of its breathtaking landscapes, one can see smog even on a clear day.
Returning families have to get used to the idea that, in general, they will face vastly increased levels of pollution in India. The only complete remedy is avoidance but this is not practical. We assume that returning families have the financial ability to travel in air conditioned vehicles, spend most of their work day in comfortable environments and live in fairly comfortable housing. Thus, while we acknowledge that pollution is a major problem for the country at large, it is still manageable for the returning family.
Not all cities have the same intensity of air pollution, and this goes to show that local policies can make a big difference in the quality of life. Some cities with a history of air and water pollution have begun taking discrete steps to make lives better for their residents. The city of Agra requires zero emission vehicles in and around the Taj Mahal/Agra Fort complex - even if this means battery-powered, camel and horse carts.
Clean Water
Water quality in the US is excellent. The public water supply is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the individual states. Public water is regularly tested for the presence of hundreds of impurities, and when testing indicates a problem, corrective actions are taken. Distribution systems are excellent with all households connected to the public water system getting water on a 24x7 basis.
In India, availability of safe water continues to be an issue, although the northern states are blessed with plenty of rivers. According to Water In Asia, Water Research & Reports, an estimated 75% of the nation’s residents live in water-stressed areas. Most Indian cities do not distribute water for more than a few hours per day. In some cities, water distribution occurs only a few times a week - each time for a couple of hours - despite significant investments in water infrastructure. The tremendous population growth in the country, coupled with the migration of rural workers to the big cities along with a dwindling water table has created inordinate demands on the nation’s fresh water supplies.
Returning families can manage the water issue by leveraging bore wells or other private sources of water, such as tanker supplies. In fact, most private villa and apartment communities offer continuous water supply as a key selling feature. Critics contend that private ownership of water and lack of a legal framework to govern boundaries between public and private water ownership further exacerbates the issue, but returning families are really left with no choice.
It is not generally known where these tankers get their water from. Some get water from depleting streams outside the city or from borewells. Regardless of the source of water, advanced water filtration equipment is needed in the home to consume this water. Filtration is further discussed in the section on kitchen appliances. Private water is expensive and costs up to 8 times more than municipal water.
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