Air pollution causing respiratory diseases

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 15

Air pollution continues to remain the biggest cause of respiratory diseases among city residents. Lack of coordination between the Pollution Control Board (PCB) and traffic police has led to delay in action against highly polluting vehicles.

As per the rules, vehicles have to comply with the emission norms set by the government and they are being checked regularly by the authorised stations established by the PCB, but many of the vehicles don’t follow the rules.

People with symptoms of respiratory diseases, burning eye and skin allergy have increased as most of them are exposed to smoke and dust for 12 to 16 hours daily and toxic fumes have a long-term effect on the health of people.

Even the PCB has admitted that residents are inhaling poor-quality air and this is likely to worsen in the coming years, keeping in view the high concentration of vehicles per kilometre and expansion of industries, but multi-agency coordination needed to deal with the threat is missing and only remains on the papers.

“Vehicles, industries and heavy generators are the major cause of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide in air,” said Bushan Parimoo, an environmentalist.

As per the data gathered by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and respiratory suspended particulate matter (RSPM) have witnessed a steep rise in the past two decades, mainly because of the increase in the number of vehicles and dust generated by the construction activity.