The Hindu 07.04.2010
Focus on healthy and happy urban life
— Photo: C. V. Subrahmanyam. 
Health matters:Participants in a health awareness camp in Visakhapatnam.
Absence of disease alone is not health. The Oxford Dictionary defines health as the condition of a person's body and mind. The focus of World Health Day 2010 is on ‘urbanisation and health'. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a campaign ‘1000 cities – 1000 lives' concentrating on people's participation for improving the health in their cities so that they will have a healthy and happy urban life.
Visakhapatnam has the dubious distinction of being the most highly-polluted city in Andhra Pradesh and ranks 40 {+t} {+h} among the 88 highly- polluted industrial clusters in the country, according to the Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) brought out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recently.
By 2015, half the population of the developing world will be living in cities and the number is expected to double in the next 30 years. By 2030 these cities can be expected to triple their land area. Urban health challenges to improve the quality of life for the urban poor are indeed daunting. Urban health is based on core healthy cities principles of equity, inter sectoral cooperation, community involvement and sustainability.
Urban Health means putting the needs of people and communities at the heart of the urban planning process to ensure better access to urban services which improve human health for all. Except in a few instances, urban health problems are not markedly different from those in rural areas, but their solutions are quite different. The key difference revolves in accommodating the higher density of people spread over large areas. Thus, urban health goes well beyond improved access to health services.
Most importantly, the complementary role of interventions outside the health care system is fundamental, especially those of the infrastructure sectors: water supply, sanitation, waste management, transport, urban development and energy. For example, some of the top health problems globally, such as diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases, have their solutions through urban services like improved water, sanitation and household ventilation. Urban health also means increased attention to vector-related diseases like malaria and dengue fever, traditionally rural, but which have been urbanising as cities continue to grow.
Lifestyle diseases
“Adolescents, i.e., young people in the age group of 10-19 years are often thought of as a healthy group but many young persons were dying a premature death due to accidents, suicides, violence and pregnancy-related complications,” says Dr. Kutikuppala Surya Rao, a noted physician of the city.
“Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardio vascular diseases are increasing among youths. Stress as a result of work pressures, worries and irregular eating habits are the causes for depression, gastro esophageal reflex disorders and gastric problems,” he said.
“The Public Health Department of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Steel Plant and other major industries should form a task force to protect the health of the people, failing which the City of Destiny may not have a real destiny of progress,” Dr. Kootikuppala Surya Rao, who is also a member of the Indian Public Health Association said.
“No body wants development that is full with pollution and diseases. Urbanisation and industrialisation should be monitored by the agencies concerned vigilantly so that the cancerous growth won't take place. The managements of industries are supposed to introspect themselves how far they are honest in implementing pollution control measures,” Dr. Surya Rao adds.
‘Masking development'
The ‘industrial capital' of Andhra Pradesh, which has several sobriquets to its name, has now earned the dubious distinction of being the ‘most polluted city' in the state.
Motorists wearing masks is a common feature in industrial areas like Malkapuram, and Gajuwaka. They also complain of burning sensation in the eyes when they go on long drives in the industrial belt. A steep growth in traffic is choking many of the city roads and its impact can be felt in areas like Asilametta, Jagadamba junction and NAD Kotha Road where vehicular emissions are high.
Destruction of trees to pave the way for concrete jungles, growing industrial pollution as a result of new industries coming up or existing ones augmenting their capacities, thousands of vehicles being added to the roads every year and the city's typical topography are all contributing to growing pollution.
Striking a balance between environment and development is the key to minimising pollution, if not eliminating it all together. While one cannot ignore the benefits of industrial development, haphazard industrialization with little safeguards could spell disaster to the environment. Efforts should be made to ensure industrial growth with minimum possible damage to the ecosystem.
The best mantra to safeguard the environment from the effect of pollution is to go for green cover, green power and green technologies. Massive afforestation programmes should be taken up and axing of old trees should be avoided to the extent possible. Green power like generation through hydroelectric projects instead of thermal generation and use of green technologies would contribute to reducing the pollution levels.
Environmental pollution that renders waters along the Visakhapatnam coastline and beaches are unsatisfactory for use by the general public. Many studies reported that the beach waters in Visakhapatnam are hygienically very poor quality. A high PI (Pollution Index) of the water in Lawson's Bay indicated that the water was not suitable even for swimming.
