As the air quality deteriorates in the national Capital and residents are forced to inhale toxic elements, environmentalists said intense heat and pollutants in the air are playing havoc with the health of the people.
Delhi has taken the shape of "Urban Heat Island" with gradual construction of concrete buildings, extinction of water bodies and nil plantations on roads, flyovers and National Highways (NH).
Professor CR Babu said pollution is everywhere, vehicles run in every State of India and abroad but the hidden feature is that carbon particles dissolve efficiently in water while gaseous particles and other chemical excavated elements are absorbed by the plants.
“Not only this but we need to identify the main sources of heat generation besides vehicles running on the roads and our policy makers should compile the research," Babu added.
The professor said plants play pivotal role in making the environment cool and less polluted. "Plants not just absorb harmful gases but are also responsible for fastening the loose soil," said the professor.
While giving the example of Chicago city of United States, Prof Babu said if green thick layers of trees would be planted parallel to highway streets and plantation of Kanapi trees on flyovers will help to settle road side dust.
The professor emphasised on the existence of water bodies in urban cities. "There was the time when Delhi had around 680 water bodies but now barely 80 water bodies have remained and that too, on the verge of extinction," said the environment professor.
He said the effect of pollution on city people can be less but there is need to think scientifically. "Beside odd-even formula, the policy makers should think on how to revive water bodies and take individual state for vertical plantation parallel to roads and highways," he said.