Respiratory disorders on rise in Delhi due to toxic air
Health experts yesterday said they have seen a substantial increase in patients with respiratory disorders in New Delhi and surrounding region to deadly smog that has engulfed the national capital.
Air pollution is an important cause of worsening of respiratory disorders, including sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, bronchitis and respiratory difficulty in those who do not smoke or have preasthmatic conditions.
According to experts, air pollution also plays a significant role in making Covid-19 infections worse.
Dr Praveen Gupta of Fortis Hospital in Gurugram told IANS: “Pollution has been identified as a leading cause of stroke and heart disease increasing the risk by 25% in people who do not have risk factors for stroke or any heart ailment.”
He said “exposure to high levels of air pollutants may cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, wheezing, coughing, breathing problems. Air pollution can also affect existing lung and heart conditions.”
Smog can cause irritation in the eyes, throat and can damage the lungs, lead to fatigue, migraine, headaches, anxiety and depression.
“It can also worsen the skin, cause allergic disorders as well as significant hair problems,” Gupta added.
He has observed a 25% increase in patients with respiratory disorders in the past few weeks.
Dr Puneet Khanna, of Manipal Hospitals in Delhi said as the winter approaches, smog is exacerbated by low temperature and slow movement of air.
“Ground-level ozone O3 and PM2.5 play a significant role in the formation of smog. Besides industrial activities and public transportation, stubble burning and road dust are majorly responsible for smog in winters,” Khanna said.
The vulnerable group include newborns and children, pregnant women, elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, diabetics, angina and cardiac diseases.
Peaks in air pollution often irritate the upper and lower respiratory system making it harder to breathe besides aggravating symptoms of asthma.
To improve the air quality, the Delhi government yesterday said it has installed anti-smog guns at key intersections and construction sites across the cit.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the Public Works Department (PWD) has installed 23 anti-smog guns.
He also said that PWD officials have also been instructed to sprinkle water on trees, roads and on construction sites to combat dust pollution.
“A total of 150 water tankers have been deployed for sprinkling water,” Rai said.
“I have also instructed the PWD officials to increase the number of tankers further so that all key roads of Delhi can be covered. If necessary, we will install more anti-smog guns as well at the key intersections of Delhi.”
Also yesterday Bharatiya Janata Party MP Gautam Gambhir inaugurated the third giant air purifier in his constituency in East Delhi.
The air purifier in Krishna Nagar market is in addition to similar purifiers installed at Lajpat Nagar and Gandhi Nagar markets.
The air purifiers are 12ft tall and cover an area of 1,000sq m.
As the national capital battles air pollution, these fully automatic machines deliver clean air every day.