For the past one week Beijing hasn’t seen a clear sunny day. Hazy skies and high pollution levels has put the host city of Olympics 2008 on high alert. Drastic measures are being taken to cut down pollution. Authorities have been forced to restrict vehicular traffic and may even have to shut more factories to reduce cocktail of dust, fumes and haze during Olympic Games.
Normally, in the month of August Beijing reels under sultry heat. So combination of heat, humidity and pollution will pose health risks to athletes. They may even have to reschedule some of the high endurance games.
The reaction of Greenpeace about the green efforts of Olympic Games Organizers is mixed. They feel while energy and water saving efforts have been good, the pollution and presence of particulate matter more than World Health Organization’s recommendation is not a good news for all the sports team.
Beijing authorities are trying all possible means to control pollution. Cars and other vehicles have been ordered to stay off roads on alternate days. Heavy polluting steel factories have been closed. But smog refuses to lift. Hope Beijing’s efforts to save the Olympics from haze and pollution works. The games officially open on 8th August.
But what happens after the game? Do cities need excuses to reduce pollution? Aren’t choked lungs and roads of common residents important enough to implement drastic pollution cuts?
source: reuters
