National Pollution Control Day in India: Here's why the day coincides with the date of Bhopal Gas Tragedy

India observes National Pollution Prevention Day on December 2 in the memory of people who lost their lives in Bhopal gas tragedy. The industrial accident that occurred in 1984 when the gas Methyl Isocyanate leaked on the night of December 2–3 and killed thousands.

The world also observes the Pollution Prevention Day on December 2, however, the significance of Bhopal's disaster is not taken into the account in the global observance.

December 2 is a day when India was shook by the leakage of chemicals from the gas factory in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The explosive gas triggered the atmosphere in the premises, and created a caution for the need to stay away from pollution and its adverse consequences. Many victims suffered respiratory and other disorders due to the high levels of environmental pollution resulted due to the unfortunate incident.

The main objectives of the day are to spread awareness on managing and controlling industrial disasters, prevent the pollution produced by industrial processes or human negligence, to make people and industries aware about the importance of pollution control acts. The day also aims to bring awareness to people about prevention of air, soil, noise, and water pollution.

Despite measures, India every year witnesses hazardous air quality. Every year, the residents of Delhi and surrounding areas experience hazardous levels of air pollution at the beginning of winter. Smoke from stubble burning in the adjoining farmland areas of the states of Haryana and Punjab, as well as fumes from vehicles and industry, enshroud the city as lower temperatures and slower moving winds trap pollutants in the air. Also, in the recent days, Mumbai's AQI has been fluctuating between the "extremely poor" to "poor" on the pollution scale.

India's Pollution Control Day has a heart-breaking background but the ray of hope still shines through. A fresh and pollution-free environment is not a mere dream, it can be achieved with the efforts of the public. Simple steps such as ditching single-use-plastics, planting a sapling and caring towards its growth, switching to ecofriendly alternatives, can be the initial self-do steps in making the planet a better and healthier place to breathe in.