Five winters, endless primetime panel discussions and citywide protests later, not much has changed. Those who live in Delhi, find themselves subjected to air quality as dangerous as the Great London Smog of 1952, caused by domestic and industrial use of low grade coal in post WW2 British austerity, one which reportedly killed more than 12000 people.
In January 2016, IIT Kanpur submitted a report to the Dept of Environment, Govt of Delhi named 'Comprehensive Study on Air Pollution & Green House Gases in Delhi'. The report identifies Suspended Particulate Matter-PM10, PM2.5 and Carbon Monoxide as the three primary types of air pollutants in the NCR, as per readings taken at various test sites.
Some 3 million deaths are related to air pollution yearly, according to a WHO survey. 2 out of 3 of these deaths occur in the poor and developing countries, particularly in South Asia. These include deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, stokes and lower respiratory infections.
Dr. Geeta says, "It is shocking to note that around 3 million deaths related to air pollution occur yearly, according to a recent World Health Organization survey. High air pollution levels can cause immediate health adversities like aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, due to added stress to the heart and lungs, which must work harder to supply the body with oxygen. Patients come to me, complaining of fatigue, wheezing, watering of eyes and nose, cough, sore throat, headache and nausea. Routine medication and advise doesn't seem to help. A lot of the patients need nebulisers and nasal sprays. Use of Air Purifiers while indoors and anti-pollution masks while outdoors is recommended as preventive measures."
High air pollution can cause immediate health effects like aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illness due to added stress to the heart and lungs which must work harder to supply the body with oxygen. This can cause heart attacks and respiratory failure.
As a community, we need to come up with a structured plan to counter RSPM. This pollutant not only poses a threat outside our homes, but its crustal profile and shape make it easier to enter our homes. Team that up with poor insulation in most indoor spaces, and we are looking at living with a very serious health hazard in our homes and work spaces. We need to ensure that school-going children are protected from these pollutants in their schools as well. As disturbing a visual as it may seem, portable masks will have to be distributed and used in all public spaces as a short-term solution. For our homes and schools, air purifiers may provide the single best solution for protection from RSPM like PM2.5.
Currently available high-end air purifiers use multilayer filter systems composed of a pre-filter, a carbon filter an antibacterial filter and a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter uses mechanical filter action to remove airborne particles. Added to this, is a 360 degree air purifying system with a chevron nozzle at a low level to help air near the floor clear up, making it most beneficial for toddlers.
Consumer durables brand LG's PuriCare air purifier provides a real time reading of the indoor smell and particulate levels with its smart PM 1.0 and gas sensors, that automatically set the air flow and operation cycle. The Smart Display lighting system shows different colours based on the pollution level. The purifier detects and removes ultra-fine dust particles in air which are invisible to human eye. Combined with fan and air purifier, the PuriCare delivers hygienic air covering up to 7.5 metres. Moreover, the product's 'Powerful Clean Booster' rotates which allows the clean air to be distributed to the entire room. Aesthetic and almost noiseless they are an added attraction to the interiors of any room We may supplement this with green plants in our homes and offices to further revitalize the air we breathe in the indoors spaces we dwell.
