With Delhi-NCR becoming a gas chamber due to the steep spike in pollution levels, doctors have warned that the resumption of yoga in the open parks by the AAP-led Delhi Government under its ‘Dili ki Yogshala’ program will have adverse health impacts.
On Thursday, the State Government, without waiting for approval from Lieutenant -Governor VK Saxena kicked off the second phase of the Yogshala which, it said, has become popular among the Delhiites.
However, health experts feel otherwise. They pointed out that PM-2.5 laden weather will do more harm than ensuring yoga benefits. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city on Thursday slipped to 450, under the ‘severe’ category, as per the bulletin released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Dr. Jugal Kishore, Head of the Community Medicine Department, Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, said that people should avoid activities like yoga and running in the morning till the pollution level in the Capital becomes breathable.
“These activities will prove very harmful for the health in the morning, as the air pollution level is at its peak during the period,” Dr Kishore said.
“The people who want to do yoga can perform it indoors as the pollution level is less compared to the outdoor, and Yoga such as anulom-vilom (breathing exercise) should strictly avoid it, when indoors also,” Dr Kishore added.
The pollution is also like a poison to those suffering with asthma, children and pregnant women, he said. However, on the first day of the yoga classes, many citizens even aged above 50 years, claimed that the classes have helped them in several ways to stay fit. Hemant Gupta, age 62, performing Yoga at the park in Mayur Vihar phase I, said that they started doing yoga the past month, and to learn the asana's (exercises) they have joined the classes.
“The classes are helping us learn the exercises properly from the trained professionals as yoga is a very important aspect for a person in order to maintain physical and mental fitness,” Gupta said. Bharti Garg, (52), another yoga enthusiast, said that the “classes are really helping me to improve my health.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, I have started facing several health complications such as diabetes, and BP problem, due to which I started coming to attend classes and my health condition is now improving.” “I think that as food is necessary for life, in the same way yoga is also necessary for a person to lead a healthy and fit life,” Garg added.