NEW DELHI: Air pollution levels in Delhi and the National Capital Region can pose a huge risk to the lungs of even healthy individuals, experts have warned.
Even if one does not smoke and has no history of respiratory illness, breathing the polluted air in the city can be hazardous as it is equivalent to smoking 15-20 cigarettes a day on average, the experts say.
Severe air pollution in the national capital after Diwali had prompted the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) to declare a public health emergency in Delhi and the NCR and advise people, especially children and the elderly, to limit their exposure to the environment.
“If this continues, then there is a very high chance of newborns with respiratory problems,” said Dr Rajesh Chawla, Senior Consultant Respiratory Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi.
“People who do not smoke or have known respiratory diseases can still be at risk. In the absence of smoking, air pollution might provide the necessary triggers to complete the development of diseases. Factors such as smoking, second-hand smoke and pollution together can worsen your pulmonary health,” said Dr Desh Deepak, Senior Chest Physician, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.