VIJAYAWADA: If you have been battling a nagging cough or asthma or worse, an upper respiratory tract infection over a period, the poor air quality in the major cities across the State could be the culprit.
According to health experts, Vijayawada’s air has registered a sharp deterioration in quality after being designated as part of the State capital of Amaravati. The smoke and existing pollution level in the city exceed the standard level of killer particles by five to six times and are associated with significant increases in health risks.
Not just the elderly and youth, but children and apparently, healthy people are also falling prey to the rising pollution. High exposure is known to lead to increased hospitalisation for asthma, lung diseases, chronic bronchitis and heart damage.
Long-term exposure can even cause lung cancer, the experts opined.
“There has definitely been a jump in the number of people coming in with pollution-related problems. This is a situation that we see typically around Diwali and immediately after the festival. Breathing problems are the most common ailment that people are reporting in with at present,” said V Eswar Reddy, Pulmonologist at Sravya Hospitals.
Stating that eye irritation and infections because of the persistent problem could also be attributed to the high pollution level. “We are seeing a lot of patients who are complaining of eye irritation, watering and discomfort because of dryness. The solution is to wash the eyes four to five times a day and in case the problem persists, consult a qualified doctor,” said K Shanmugam, Ophthalmologist, Sridevi Eye Hospital.
At the other end, the Pollution Control Board (PCB) officials in the city expressed concern over the indiscriminate burning of garbage at Excel Plant in Ajith Singh Nagar, as it releases harmful chemicals and causes an exponential rise in SPM. “We held talks with the municipal department to dispose of the garbage in alternative methods rather than putting on fire,” said a PCB official.
As per the national ambient air quality standards, respirable SPM should be around 60 microgram/cubic meter annually, but in Vijayawada, it is more than 100 microgram/cu.m and sometimes, reaching 110 microgram/cu. m.
On an average, it settles in between 90-110 microgram/cu. m on a busy day. Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSPM) is also registered high and disturbing the public health in the city, the PCB officials added.