Air pollution level fatal, several times more than that during Diwali; experts proscribe even outdoor exercises
As the national Capital and its adjoining areas have registered an alarming dip in the air quality several times more than what it was during Diwali, medical experts on Wednesday came up with a health advisory suggesting no outdoor exercises, and saying “there is no safe time to be outdoors”.
According to the advisory issued on Wednesday, “while the city with high volume of pollutants in the air is bad for exercise, running or participating in a marathon can add at least two spoonfuls of toxic ash to the lungs”.
Wednesday saw a further fall in Delhi’s air, with Air Quality Index (AQI) ranging from 440 to 400, considered “severe”, being recorded at different locations, including RK Puram and Siri Fort in South Delhi, Delhi Technical University (DTU) in North Delhi, ITO in Central Delhi, Anand Vihar in Northeast Delhi and Punjabi Bagh in West Delhi.
The data was based on the readings of monitoring stations of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
All other regions in Delhi and NCR recorded either “severe” or “very poor” air quality, with PM 2.5 acting as the major pollutant.
The PM 2.5 value of 10 monitoring stations of the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) was found ranging between 392 and 326 units against the permissible upper limit of 60 units as per national standards and 25 units as per international standards.
“The current level of air pollution in Delhi affects even the unborn child in expected mother’s womb,” the advisory added.
It points out that while a normal adult breathes approximately six litres of air per minute at rest, during exercising it increases to 20 litres.
With current air-pollution in Delhi and NCR, this increases toxins in lungs.
“Exercising is vital for health but not when we are breathing poison”, the advisory states.
The advisory endorsed by seven medical practitioners, including those from the Department of Respiratory Medicine and Chest Surgery of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital states that even N-95 standard masks, which stops fine particles, “could be suffocating while exercising”.
“Exercise areas should be at least 200 meters from roads, construction sites and smoke-emitting industry,” the advisory says, adding that “even this does not guarantee clean air”.