INDORE: Sounding a note of caution on dangers of pollution on human health, doctors said curb on pollution level will enable our future generations to live longer survive. Doctors and researchers point out rising pollution in the city's ambience is directly linked to reduced lung capacity of human race, leading to shorter and sicker lives.
Listed as fifth largest polluted city in the country, exposure of city residents especially children to alarmingly high level of particulate matter is an invitation to a host of diseases, including respiratory disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and lung cancer.
Number of deaths due to pollution is rising and, if left uncontrolled, there would be at least 2,500 deaths due to pollution in 2020 in the city, as per Simple Interactive Model-SIM-Air Working Paper Series survey conducted by Mumbai-based Urban Emission Group. A survey of school children by India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has found a higher prevalence of upper and lower respiratory disease symptoms and lung function deficits compared to age-and sex-matched rural controls. It showed respiratory problems in 32% of children examined in Delhi, in contrast to 18.2% of rural children. Reduced lung function was recorded in 43.5% of school children in Delhi compared to 25.7% in villages.
District TB officer and chest specialist Dr Vijay Chhajlani said, "Studies have linked rising pollution to reduced lung capacity. In kids, lung function test have proved that capacity to inhale and exhale air reduces if exposure to pollutants is high." He said problem can be solved when every individual start thinking of what legacy they are leaving for next generation and start making individual efforts to minimize societal problems.
Another expert Dr Manish Siddha said, "Pollution has more harmful effect than smoking. Though smoking is equally harmful, smoke and vehicle exhaust have harmful effect on kids as their immunity level is low and they are more prone to respiratory problem. We need to think where we are heading."
In Indore, air pollution claims 1,800 lives every year with around 2,500 others ending up in hospitals. The revelation had come from transport minister Bhupendra Singh while replying to a query from MLA Sudharshan Gupta over increasing air pollution in commercial hub of the state.
Transport minister had assured the House that a drive against vehicles with expired registration will be carried out soon and such vehicles would not be allowed to run on road. The government will also take steps to check level of dust particles in air. But they only proved words.
