People begin to collapse as air quality deteriorates in Lucknow'. write an article
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Seven-year-old Disha was climbing the stairs in her house in Gomti Nagar on Saturday when she suddenly started gasping for breath and collapsed. Her father rushed her to a private hospital where the doctors put her on oxygen.
Sharad Ahirwar, an engineering student in Jankipuram, woke up at midnight on Friday complaining of breathlessness. He has been admitted to the King George's Medical University.
Reshu, a migrant labourer, was found lying in an unconscious state on the roadside in Telibagh on Saturday evening and was admitted to a medical facility. He has been put on oxygen after being diagnosed with partial lung collapse.
In all the three cases, the patients belonging to different strata of society are victims of pollution in Lucknow.
The state capital is on the verge of collapse with the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Lucknow touching 382 (severe) on Friday and 422 (very severe) on Saturday.
The air quality on 2 November was the worst recorded in the past three years and the most polluted day post-monsoon so far.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Lucknow's AQI was in the hazardous category, exposure to which can lead to serious respiratory issues.
The state government has issued directives to various agencies but the impact is yet to be seen.
Work on construction sites is continuing and only a few have put up green nets to prevent dust particles. Sprinkling of water was seen only in some posh colonies and open burning of garbage continues.
Dr Rajendra Prasad, a retired professor from the King George's Medical University (KGMU) and a renowned expert in chest diseases, said that the prevailing pollution levels could prove fatal for those with respiratory disorders and asthma and even have an adverse impact on those who are healthy.
"Since pollution levels cannot be brought down in an instant, people should avoid moving out in these conditions without wearing good quality mask. Even morning walkers should confine themselves to indoor activities," he said.
Government and private hospitals have also recorded a spurt in patients with respiratory disorders in the past five days.
"We are seeing an almost five-fold increase in such patients. The worst affected are children and the elderly," said a spokesman of the KGMU.
Lucknow University air quality monitoring station director Prof Dhruvsen Singh said, "It was not just PM2.5 concentration but even gaseous pollutants peaked in the city with carbon dioxide and ozone levels recorded 428.64 and 46.6 respectively. After Diwali, pollution levels in the city have increased by around 150 units.
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Despite various effective measures being taken by the Yogi Adityanath government to tackle the problem of rising air pollution, the air quality in prominent cities of Uttar Pradesh including state capital Lucknow deteriorated making it difficult for people to breathe.
The air quality in Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Kanpur remained hazardous on Monday, causing a lot of inconvenience to people. The visibility in these cities was also very low due to the heavy smog.
State chief secretary RK Tiwari on Sunday warned of action against those involved in burning garbage, stubble and plastic in open.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also held an emergency meeting last week, directing the officials to conduct an awareness drive in rural areas and educating farmers about the negative impact of stubble burning.
However, stubble burning has continued in different parts of the state.
In Etawah, farmers were seen openly burning paddy crop residues making the air quality worse.
Speaking to India Today TV, Ashok Pandey, a farmer, said, "We are not aware of the government's decision to ban stubble burning. If we don't burn the crop residue, how can we prepare the field for next cultivation?"
Farmers in Shahjahanpur are also burning crop residues in open which has made visibility very poor in the district.
"We are appealing to the farmers not to engage in stubble burning which is the main reason behind increasing air pollution. The farmers can use the stubble for other work instead of setting it on fire," district magistrate of Shahjahanpur, Indrajit Singh said.
Meanwhile, in Kaushambi district, sub-divisional magistrate Rajesh Srivastava ordered the cops to take action against farmers burning the crop residue. A fine is also being imposed on the farmers for violating the pollution norms.
Recently, more than 200 farmers were booked by the Pilibhit Police for burning paddy crop residue in their farmlands. Angry over the action taken by the cops, farmers protested at multiple locations across the district.
Water is also being sprinkled by the municipal corporations in Lucknow and other prominent cities to tackle the problem of rising air pollution.
Since smog has engulfed almost every area of Lucknow, the builders have been directed not to violate pollution norms while carrying out the construction work.
In an interview to India Today TV, Uttar Pradesh environment minister Dara Singh Chauhan said, "The rising air pollution in different parts of the state is a serious matter and our government is taking effective measures to tackle the problem."
"Stubble burning has been banned in the state. We are also taking actions against industries that are emitting pollutants. Fine is also being imposed on them. Water sprinkling is also being done. The chief minister also chaired an emergency meeting and important directives were given to the concerned departments," he said.
Meanwhile, the director of the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research in Lucknow, Professor Alok Dhawan said, "The fall in temperature is also a reason behind increasing air pollution. In North India, stubble burning is the main reason behind deteriorating air quality. Burning of crop residues and construction activities should be stopped in areas where the pollution level is very high. In Lucknow, schools should be shut so that children do not face problems due to a spike in the pollution level. Burning of garbage should also be stopped."
Meanwhile, the number of patients suffering from respiratory problems in government hospitals in Lucknow and other parts of the state due to the rising air pollution has increased