With pollution level reaching to very poor category, Blueair India in collaboration with Artemis Hospital distributed two thousand N95 pollution masks to Gurugram Police on Sunday at the police lines here.

Usually, the police personnel are seen discharging their duty without wearing masks despite pollution hitting alarming levels in the city. Smog caused by stubble burning has led to an increase in the number of patients suffering from asthma, breathing problems and burning sensation in the eyes.

Air quality in the city is already deemed to be highly polluted and change in weather condition becomes more toxic and unbeatable and is taking a major toll on its people, especially those who have to spend more of their time outside serving duty or other business, a police official said.

Police Commissioner of Gurugram, KK Rao said “As Gurugram police personnel deal with the strained environmental condition while serving their duty. These masks will help minimise the impact of alarming air pollution on them during high pollution”.

A policeman said they had to work for around 10 hours a day managing traffic in summers and winter.

“It is a good step that we have been provided with masks. But senior officials should also fix our duty hours. We are working for 10 or 11 hours a day, which is affecting our health more than pollution,” he added.

“Police are amongst that highly vulnerable group who, in  line of their duty, spend hours breathing highly toxic air, which makes them prone to respiratory and other lungs related ailments. This initiative will help ensure the safety of police personnel from the ill-effects of polluted air,” Arvind Chabra, Head, Blueair India said.

“As policemen on the ground are responsible not only for regulating things like traffic but responsible for enforcing all other regulations they are the ones who are most exposed & thus vulnerable to the effects of pollution. As a small gesture N95 pollution masks will help them breathe clean during the time when the pollution level is very poor,” Dr Himanshu Garg, a city-based respiratory expert said.