VOA慢速英語: 印度在10大城市監(jiān)測空氣污染

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The Indian capital of New Delhi recently passed Beijing, China, for having the world’s most polluted air. Now, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi islaunching a national air quality index to monitor pollution levels in 10 of the country’s major cities.

Mr. Modi launched the air quality index at a two-day conference that includedthe environment and forest ministers from all Indian states. Officials at theconference are considering measures to strengthen environmental laws. Overthe next two years, the index will be expanded to about 66 cities with apopulation of more than one million.

The new air pollution index will measure eight pollutants. The index will usecolor coding to describe the air’s impact on human health. That will make iteasy for citizens in big cities like New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai to knowtheir city’s air quality.

Prime Minister Modi said in launching the index that the country must changethe world’s opinion that India does not care about the environment or aboutclimate change.

Mr. Modi said that India has a long tradition of respecting the environment andcan show the rest of the world the way in fighting climate change. He alsourged Indians to reduce waste and save resources as they become morewealthy.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a conference by The Environment Ministry in New Delhi, India, April 6, 2015. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

The high levels of air pollution in Indian cities are a major concern forresidents. The World Health Organization says that 13 of the world’s 20 mostpolluted cities are in India. The worst is Delhi, the densely populated capitalterritory of India. Indian officials do not agree with the WHO’s findings.However, experts say that the pollutants in Delhi’s air in winter months canreach up to three times the safe limits on some days.

Fumes from diesel vehicles have caused the increasingly polluted air ofIndia’s cities. Officials also blame smoke and dust from industrial and buildingactivity.

Doctors have warned that rising levels of air pollution are leading to anincreased number of citizens with asthma, chronic bronchitis and lungcancer. WHO officials call air pollution a leading cause of premature, orearly, death in India. About 620,000 people die of pollution-related diseasesevery year.

Anumita Roychowdhury leads the air pollution program at New Delhi’s Centerfor Science and Environment. She calls the launch of the index a good firststep in fighting the severe problem. She says the next step should be for citygovernments to release public health warnings. She also says city officialsshould plan what to do on days when pollution levels are unsafe.

Ms. Roychowdhury also says the new index could make it easier forgovernments to demand difficult measures, such as restrictions on privatevehicles.

I’m Ashley Thompson.

VOA correspondent Anjana Pasricha reported and wrote this story from NewDelhi. Ashley Thompson wrote it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was theeditor.

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Words in This Story

monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a specialpurpose over a period of time

pollutant – n. a substance that makes land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safeor suitable to use : something that causes pollution

fumes – n. smoke or gas that smells unpleasant — usually plural

asthma – n. a physical condition that makes it difficult for someone to breathe

chronic – adj. continuing or occurring again and again for a long time

bronchitis – n. an illness in which your bronchial tubes become sore ordamaged and you cough a lot

premature – adj. happening too soon or earlier than usual