Dr Meenal Kumar The inhalation of outdoor and indoor air pollutants has been found to be a major concern for the health of the unborn, newborn, young children and their mothers. The women who live in the regions with high carbon monoxide or fine-particle levels caused by vehicle traffic are 10 to 25 per cent more likely to have a pre-term baby than those who live in less polluted areas. This is especially true for women who breathe polluted air during the first trimester or during the last months and weeks of pregnancy.

Anumita Roychowdhury, of CSE's Right to Clean Air Campaign, says: "Government and industry data on heat trapping CO 2 emissions that directly depend on the amount of fuel burnt, show that oil guzzling vehicles are hitting the road.'

The draft transport agreement between the UP and Delhi governments is a step ahead for the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority appointed by the Supreme Court to monitor government projects with the aim of preventing pollution by decongesting the city. Stating that for interstate public transport, nothing short of CNG would be allowed in the NCR, EPCA chairman Bhure Lal said the idea behind the agreement was not just to facilitate movement but also to get more people to use public transport.

The Delhi Cabinet on Monday approved the financial pattern of the Praga-ti Phase-Ill Bawana Power Project to be commissioned at an estimated cost of Rs.5195.81 crore. The foundation stone of the 1,500-MW gas-based power station was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on March 24 this year.

Waste plastic products should not be treated as threats to our environment. A proper system to recycle these products and efforts at extracting fuel from them may turn these waste products into invaluable assets, said Amarjyoti Kashyap president of the non-Government organisation (NGO) Environ. This is very significant in these days of growing threats of scarcity and rising price of fossil fuel. Besides, there is also the angle of environment pollution, which can be tackled better with the use of plastic fuel and application of a safe technology to extract fuel from plastic.

Should private diesel cars be taxed more than petrol cars to neutralize the subsidy they get on retail fuel prices, originally kept low for benefiting commercial vehicle operations like public transport vehicles and goods carriers that have a direct bearing on inflation.

KOLKATA : In a bid to reduce harmful effect of pollution on health, the Indian Medical Association has decided to conduct various mass awareness programmes in the city. Stressing on the need of such campaigns, Mrs Urmilla Khanna, president of Indian Medical Association said: "Pollution affects major human organs of the body and unless we are aware and take precautionary measures, the risk will keep on increasing in future.'