Born in a South East London hospital in Lalit Khambhayata 004, Ella Debrah was seven years due. The birthday was still three months away. Fell ill there. On examination, chest infection was found, phlegm also increased. He started treatment. If children have such a problem, it was not a cause of particular concern for his mother. Millions of children grew up like this. Ella also started growing. A few days later, however, he complained of not getting enough oxygen to his brain. Neighbor's medical kit led to immediate treatment, then hospital admission and treatment. The next day she was released from the hospital. Although this was not normal, the same problem persisted weeks later. The second time she fainted and came out of coma in three days. Now it was natural that Ella's family, doctors were worried. He started intensive treatment. Various tests were done. A number of options were explored, whether epilepsy is a common problem in the brain in young children, or fibrosis, or… Every once in a while breathing problems occur and Ella has to be admitted. After two-four-six days of treatment, he recovers and comes home again. This became regular. Ella and the family realized that breathing problems would mean going to and from the hospital. However, that was not to be, as she died on February 15, 2013, before her ninth birthday. Between the first time she went to the hospital and her death, she had to be hospitalized a total of 30 times. * * * All over the world, children die due to respiratory problems, at a young age, due to asthma while receiving treatment. So Ella's death was not unexpected in a way. Yet it proved to be an innovation, as his death is now considered the 'world's first death from air pollution'. * * * According to the statistics of 'World Health Organization' and other global organizations, 70-80 lakh deaths are caused by air pollution in the whole world every year. Of these, 20-25 lakh deaths occur in India, despite the fact that air pollution is not listed as the cause of death on the death certificates of any of these deaths. There is also a reason for not being able to write. Because it is difficult to prove that death was caused by air pollution. That is why Ella died in 2013 and now in October 2024, the British government has prepared a huge compensation for it. For that, however, Ella's mother Rosamond had to fight for a decade and the fight is still going on. * * * Ella died in 2013. Then one day a neighbor showed Rosamond a news item printed in a newspaper. According to the news, on the day Ella died, the air pollution in her area was unbearable. Rosamund felt that the polluted air was somehow responsible for the death of the girl, right? Because Ella was already an asthma patient. If the polluted air enters the body, the respiratory system stops working. That must have been the case with Ella. But why prove it? The daughter was gone, but mother Rosamond decided that she would have to fight to prevent someone else's beloved from dying like this. Rosamond filed a case against the British government. Environment, food, rural development, transport, health… all the departments that are applicable were seized and brought to court. The case was also new to the British judiciary. The case attracted the attention of environmentalists from all over Britain as well as from all over the world. It was a surprise for everyone. The official who investigated Ella's death wrote in the cause of death that 'polluted air also contributed to the death.' According to the government, if there is a contribution, then air does not become the cause. Ella's mother, on the other hand, said that polluted air is a contributing factor, so why shouldn't that air be the cause? A legal battle ensued. The investigation also revealed that the nitrogen dioxide levels in the area where Ella was passing at the time of her death were far above the limit set for clean air. The large number of vehicles was probably responsible for that. On the other hand, leading British doctors examined Ella's medical report and concluded that the same air that made her breathless had done the job here. The human rights department also joined the legal battle, as access to clean air is the right of every human being, but Ella did not. Even if it was proven that the air was not clean, it was difficult to blame the government for it, because there is no government to pollute the air. coming? But there was a question that why the government did not show activity to keep the air clean? There were appeals after appeals, the case went from small court to big court and is still going on, but the difference is that the British government accepted that Ella died due to air pollution. Therefore, it is the first case in the world that death due to air pollution has been officially accepted. His death certificate also officially states the cause. Another change is that the British government has decided to pay a large compensation to Ella's mother. The compensation amount has not been disclosed. Ella's mother, Rosamond, has raised her children as well as a foundation after her death. A foundation called 'The Ella Roberta' works to spread awareness about air pollution. The British government should come to a decision that the air should not be so polluted that it would clog someone's airways. Clean air should be the primary right of all and should be available. * * * Delhi's polluted air has become a 'celebrity' in India. The air there is more important than the government. Also, the air of cities like Ahmedabad-Rajkot has started to compete in pollution. The lesson from Ella's case is whether it is our civil right to breathe clean air or not?} AQI is determined based on the amount of elements in the air. While measuring pollution, several gases and substances in the air are usually counted. The main eight pollutants are as follows. The amount of pollution is then determined by looking at its amount in the air. Particulate Matter (PM)10: Particles of dust and smoke smaller than 10 micrometers that can easily reach the lungs. Particulate Matter (PM)2.5 : Particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in dust and smoke. PM-10 and PM-2.5 may not be any single substance—air, but particles of any kind. Nitrogen Dioxide: A deadly gas in the air. Usually caused by vehicular pollution. Sulfur Dioxide: A toxic gas produced by factory fumes, fires, etc. Carbon Monoxide: A poisonous gas produced from fire etc., disrupts the functioning of the body. Ozone: Protecting the earth from the harmful rays of the sun, this gas can cause phlegm, sore throat, etc. for the body. Ammonia: Ammonia filled tanker capsizes many times. This chemical damages the respiratory system. Lead: Lead can disrupt many functions of the body and we get it from substances including e-waste.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
Transition: World's first death due to air pollution!
