It sounds frightening but true and residents of the national Capital bear misery year after year owing to highly toxic air. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria said during winters every year over 30,000 deaths occur in the city and its adjoining areas due to air pollution.
Since Tuesday, Delhi’s air quality was at the season’s worst as a combined effect of stubble burning in the neighbouring States, vehicular pollution, construction sites, road dust — all are contributing factor for turning the city into a gas chamber.
Patients with several respiratory ailments were seen thronging hospitals in Delhi as the pollution level surged to the alarming levels. With air
turning poisonous and inhalation becoming difficult, doctors said that situation in critical and life-threatening for some patients. While, people are wearing masks and doing whatever they can to protect themselves when outside, still the condition of patients with history of asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and cardio-vascular diseases have deteriorated.
“Patients have started thronging to the OPDs with complaints of breathlessness, coughing, sneezing, tightness in chest, allergy and asthma complications. There is about 20 per cent rise in patients seeking treatment due to respiratory and cardiac issues,” said the director of the country’s premier medical institute.
Comparing the situation in Delhi with the Great Smog of 1952 in london which was a severe air pollution event which led to death of over 4,000 people, Dr Guleria, who is also a renowned pulmonologist, further said that N95 masks and air purifiers, whose sale has increased in the last few days, may not provide full-time protection and stressed on implementation of long- term measures to tackle the crisis.
Also at Safdarjung hospital there is an increase in such patients at OPDs and casualties over the past two days, said JC Suri, professor and head of pulmonary medicine. He said the immediate effects are cough, throat infections and pneumonia, but in the long term, the results could be disastrous as one could also develop lung cancer.
“Elderly and children are more likely to develop infections and allergies due to smog and pollution. So they should avoid going out during the early morning and at dusk hours when the toxic level is at its peak,” said Suri. “Also, when pollution levels rise, the condition of those suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or asthma or heart disease worsens,” Dr Guleria added.
As a thick blanket of haze hung low over the city, visibility levels plunged, affecting flight and train operations. Even the underground metro stations in the city are making it difficult to breathe, turning eyes watery and producing burning sensation.
Thus, people have been advised to avoid indulging in outdoor physical activity and wear good quality masks and keep their eyes, nose and mouth covered.