Contemporary Population and Environmental Health Issues Affecting Kolkata

This report discusses the current environmental and population health issues affecting Kolkata, including water pollution, garbage, natural environment pollution, and air pollution. It also covers the major challenges and obstacles faced in addressing these issues, as well as the policies, projects, and plans aimed at tackling them.

Environmental Health
Report on Contemporary Population and Environmental Health
Issues Affecting Kolkata
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I. Introduction
The key question that rings in the minds of the majority is, what renders some people healthy
whereas others remain unhealthy? Another disturbing issue is on how a society can be developed
whereby each person has an opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Altogether, there is a
wide range of health determinants that can be referred to whenever seeking solutions to the
above queries. They range from social, economic, personal, and environmental factors.
Determinants of health however fall under various broad categories which are; social factors,
health services, policy making, biology & genetics and behavior of individuals. Interrelationships
of the above mentioned factors are the key determinants of both individual and general
population’s health. Therefore, interventions targeting multiple health determinants are bound to
be more effective. Important sectors that have been identified and proved effective in improving
the health of a population are; transport, housing, agriculture, education and environment. The
following report is based on environmental factors that are determinants of health.
II. Name and description of case study location
Dating back to 1690, Kolkata is a megacity located on the eastern banks of the river
Hooghly. It is the capital of West Bengal which is an Indian state.1 Until 2001, the city was
famously known as Calcutta. It quickly flourished from a small village based on fishing into a
prosperous metropolitan during the colonial administration. Until 1911, it was the serving capital
of the British imperial. It has an area of two hundred and five square kilometers. The larger
urban area that puts into count all the suburbs around it has a population that exceeds 14.3
million people and thus ranking it third amongst India’s list of the most populated metropolitans.

Its population density per square kilometer exceeds 23999 people which is equivalent to
62999 people per square mile. Generally, Kolkata has green admirable environment which is
however under great threat following massive human development projects. The most
threatening hazard is earthquakes whereby following assessment by geologists, the city falls
under Moderate Earthquake Damage Risk Zone which is ranked zone 3.2 Kolkata has witnessed
massive economic and social development over the years. It is greatly recognized as the financial
and commercial center for the eastern section of India. It is also socially developed with
numerous social interaction points. During the annual governance quality survey, Kolkata
emerged as second amongst the major 23 cities of India. Below is a representation of Kolkata’s
annual temperature.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Maximum Minimum
Figure 1: Average Monthly Temperature of Kolkata (Source: BBC 2018)

III. Key Current Environmental and Population Health Issues
Currently, Kolkata is being severely and adversely affected by the prevailing negative issues
concerning the environment. The major disturbing issues are water pollution, garbage, natural
environment pollution and air pollution.3
A report emanating from the FCA (Federation of Consumer Association) indicated that
drinking water in Kolkata was contaminated with human excretal waste. Further research
indicated that off all the reservoirs meant for supply of drinking water to local residents, 87% of
them were already contaminated with the waste mentioned above. After examining water outlets
deeply results indicated that 63% of them contained significant amounts of human waste.
Following results obtained after sampling water from various hospitals around the megacity, it
was again established that 20% of them received contaminated water. By approximation, it was
established that more than 1/5 of the deep wells reportedly operated by Municipal Corporation of
Kolkata were also contaminated.
The river that is highly affected is River Ganga due to its cross proximity to Kolkata’s
industrial area. Huge amounts of industrial pollutants are being discharged directly into this river
without any kind of treatment. Domestic waste and sewer emanating from various residential
areas is also being directed into this river which is a major source of water for various uses
within the locality.4 Subsequently, these major water contamination issues have resulted to
deterioration of the public health as the only way to access clean water is by purchasing bottled
water. Majority of the residents cannot afford the same.
Another environmental issue that requires urgent attention in this city is garbage collection
and disposal.5 It was observed that there exists a sole landfill site located at Dhapa. After garbage

collecting companies’ such as Dhara collects garbage, they end up dumping more than 4000
metric tons of waste at this site. Garbage that is visible from far has piled sky- high and has
resulted to a bad smell that is almost unbearable. A truck driver found on the site confessed that
there are all sorts of garbage including the unthinkable. He said “There are dead babies, there are
truckloads of smuggled chocolates or medicines that the excise department finds.”
These high amounts of garbage that the authorities seem to have been ignoring all around poses a
great threat to the overall health of the public.
Kolkata is also facing massive air pollution. Due to its state as a rapid developing
metropolitan, industrialization is at its peak and thus marks it as a major contributor towards air
pollution after motor vehicles.6 Large numbers of factories that are continuously being set up
emit enormous quantities of smoke into the atmosphere. It was also learnt that the city has
greatly embraced the use of fuel combusting engines that have been applied in different fields.
Below is tabulated data indicating seasonal variation of SO2 polluting the air from various
sources.
winter summer monsoons
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
industrial residential commercial
Axis Title
Concentration (μg/m3)
Figure2: Seasonal Variations of SO2 (Data Source: India Stat 2018)

Regarding population health, 48 hospitals managed by the government have been set up
in Kolkata. However, the number of households covered by any prevalent health insurance or
scheme is very low. This city is however the leading amongst all major Indian cities in the
percentage of women suffering from anemia with it being 55%. Majority of the residents suffer
from other diseases which could include, goiter, thyroid disorders asthma and diabetes.7 Dengue
fever, and malaria are also prevalent amongst other tropical diseases. The city is also associated
with numerous cases of diseases that are induced by pollution. Research showed that 80% of
respondents lived in slums with majority of them cooking in their living rooms. The main source
of fuel for their cooking was kerosene which therefore increased indoor air pollution. This
pollution as a result raised their susceptibility to diseases induced by pollution.
IV. Major Environmental Health Challenges and Obstacles
There are various challenges that face environmental health in Kolkata. Despite all effort to
improve the overall environmental health, it has proven almost impossible. The issue of water
pollution has proven hard to eradicate. The local authorities are the major contributors towards
this. Failure to establish efficient sewerage and drainage systems has resulted to sewer being
directed towards rivers. Poor planning especially in the suburbs8 was again noted as a life
threatening challenge. It was observed that living quarters were constructed prior to proper
planning and lacked elaborate sewerage and drainage systems. The authorities also lacked
elaborate and firm rules and regulations regarding sewer disposal. This left contractors of
residential premises the power of directing waste to the nearby water sources resulting to
contamination.
The local authority also ought to assert itself and show its dedication towards eradication of
these menace by taking tough action against anyone who defied set rules and regulations

regarding sewerage disposal.9 It also prevailed that factories were at liberty to dispose their liquid
waste by discharging it into nearby rivers and other water sources prior to subjecting it to any
kind of treatment. These discharges from various factories contain harmful chemical substances
that are dangerous to environmental health. Governing authorities in Kolkata again lacked liquid
waste disposal regulations to regulate discharges directed into water sources by these
manufacturing entities.
Various entities have also been fighting loosing battles towards complete eradication of
air pollution. Lack of success in these battles have been as a result of prevailing challenges that
hinder attainment of environmental health in Kolkata. It was observed that motor vehicles were
the greatest contributors of air pollution.10 Use of un-roadworthy vehicles is one compelling
factor towards this. The traffic department lacked the drive to take stern actions against motorists
operating in wrecked vehicles that emitted huge amounts of pollutant gases into the atmosphere.
The type o fuel that was used by motorist is another challenge. Due to monetary constraints,
majority of motorists choose to use leaded fuel which is relatively cheaper. Upon combustion,
this fuel produces significantly higher amounts of pollutant gasses thus posing a major threat to
environmental health.
Governing authorities in Kolkata have also failed to implement elaborate rules through
relevant environmental management bodies to regulate the maximum amount of toxic gases that
manufacturers can emit to the atmosphere.11 Various factories therefore end up releasing
unlimited amounts of pollutant gases into the air posing great threats to environmental health. In
conclusion, Kolkata lacked evident means of getting rid of disposed garbage. Continuous
heaping of garbage over the years on one landfill site has posed a great threat to environmental
health.

V. Current Policies, Projects and Plans Aimed at Tackling Environmental Health
Challenges
Following the prevalence of the challenges mentioned earlier on, the Kolkata administration
in collaboration with the federal government have embarked on a brave fight against
environmental pollution. Various plans have been developed and are underway in
implementation to curb all levels of pollution in the megacity. To begin with, WBPCB (West
Bengal Pollution Control Board) have given suggestions to the High Court of Kolkata to limit
fuel sellers to stop sales of fuel to all vehicles that are not in a capacity to produce valid
certifications of PUC (Pollution Under Control).12 According to a statement made by WBPCB,
careful monitoring of Auto Emission Testing Centers should be conducted. This is to be
achieved by regularly maintaining and calibrating measurement equipment. The board also
pointed out that the operators working in these centers should be acquitted with adequate
training. It has also been observed that there are several plans underway to construct and
renovate already existing plants for sewage treatment.13 This is a measure towards reduction of
contaminants in waste water.
The federal government has also overseen formulation and implementation of regulations in
Kolkata to curb any state of lawlessness that has been resulting to environmental health jeopardy.
It has also been through governmental interventions that there has been eradication of poor
quality fuel that has high lead content and instead replacing it with alternate/cleaner fuel such as
CNG and PNG. Public transport networks such as Metro have been promoted greatly in attempt
to reduce motor vehicle count on Kolkata’s roads as an approach to curb amount motor
emissions. Infrastructure that incorporates cleaner processes of production are being set up as an
initiative towards control of industrial pollution. Due to the high level of negligence from the

inhabitants of Kolkata towards such practices that are pollution averting, the government has
initiated programs that are aimed at creating public awareness on the essence of maintaining
environmental health. In conclusion, Kolkata is among the states that are attending coordination
meetings that are being held regularly at the National Capital Region as a move towards control
of environmental pollution.
VI. Conclusion
Kolkata has been identified as a region requiring immediate attention in attempt to stop the
skyrocketing environmental pollution and hence boost its environmental health. The most
disturbing issue that is again affecting the lives of majority of the local inhabitants and at the
same time threatening their lives is water pollution. It has also been ascertained that governing
authorities carries the larger part of the blame for increased deterioration of environmental health
in Kolkata. However, the same authorities are to be commended for taking the appropriate
measures to curb the same immediately upon realization of mistakes done. Private developers
and investors are also to be blamed for lack of concern about the consequences of their actions.
Whereas they cannot be deprived off their rights to develop their property, they ought to
undertake the same activities in responsible ways taking care of the environment. In conclusion,
the general public of Kolkata ought to be educated on the significance of caring for the
environment. They ought to understand what their responsibilities are in the development and
maintenance of a clean and healthy environment.

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