Air Pollution Affecting Homeless in India’s Capital

 

Thousands of homeless people in the Indian capital are among the hardest hit victims¹ of the city’s air pollution, which becomes worse in winter.

Living on the streets, homeless individuals cannot escape from pollution, such as dust from building projects and automobile² emissions⁴. The pollution released⁵ by cars has been shown to cause respiratory disorders⁶.

Karan Gandhi lives on the streets of New Delhi.

He says, “I used to sleep on one sheet (of cloth) but I have to use it to cover myself now. When I wake up, I have a problem in breathing.”

Years ago, winter was a season of cool, clear winds in the Indian capital. People enjoyed going for walks, or eating in the open air under a blue sky. Today, dirty smog and falling temperatures have forced some Indians to seek out homeless shelters⁷ operated by the city government.

Milan Adhikari has no place to live. He says the air quality can be really bad. “I get breathless, then I have pain, I cannot walk properly. That is the reason I don’t go to work,” he says.

Arjun Kumar, also homeless, told VOA “The doctors tell me my lungs have been damaged, that is why I have breathing problems.”

Even with the smog and the colder air, many individuals shun⁸ the shelters, finding⁹ insects in the bedding.

“In the shelters, the blankets sometimes have bugs¹⁰, tiny white bugs, and so they (homeless individuals) prefer to sleep outside to escape being bitten by them,” said Irtiza Quraishii of Marham, an aid group. He added¹¹ that the shelters can get crowded, pushing people outside, into the open air.

This is the second consecutive¹² year that pollution levels in New Delhi have risen to 30 times the safe amount set by the World Health Organization. Doctors tell people not to walk outside when the air quality is bad. But for many of the homeless, staying inside can be difficult.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

emission³ – n. something released, such as a gas

respiratory – adj. of or relating to breathing or the organs of the body that are used in breathing

smog – n. a cloud of dirty air from cars and factories that is usually found in cities

shun – v. to avoid (someone or something)

consecutive – adj. following each other without stopping

1 victims   

n.牺牲者( victim的名词复数 )；牺牲品；受骗者；为祭祀杀死的动物（或人）

参考例句：

• Many charities sent money to help the victims of the famine. 许多慈善机构捐款赈济饥民。
• victims of child abuse 受虐待的儿童

2 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

3 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

4 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

5 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

6 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 shelters   

n.居所( shelter的名词复数 )；避难所；（无家可归者或受虐待者的）收容所；遮蔽

参考例句：

• During the blitz we spent the night in underground shelters. 空袭期间，我们在防空洞过夜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wall shelters the garden from the north wind. 围墙给园子挡住了北风。 来自辞典例句

8 shun   

vt.避开，回避，避免

参考例句：

• Materialists face truth,whereas idealists shun it.唯物主义者面向真理，唯心主义者则逃避真理。
• This extremist organization has shunned conventional politics.这个极端主义组织有意避开了传统政治。

9 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

10 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 added   

adj.更多的，附加的，额外的

参考例句：

• They have added a new scene at the beginning.在开头他们又增加了一场戏。
• The pop music added to our enjoyment of the film.片中的流行音乐使我们对这部电影更加喜爱。

12 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。