Air
Pollution and its impact on Health
While everyone
is affected by air pollution, the most affected are children
and the elders. The effect can vary from short term to long
term illness. The lungs in children are not fully developed
at birth and continue its development during childhood. Thus
they fall easy prey to various illness related to air pollution.
Air pollution
related health problems can range from eye irritation, headache,
nausea and go up to extreme cases like cancer. There are many
other illnesses like asthma, bronchitis, allergic reactions,
heart disease, damage to the liver or kidney which can be
related to air pollution.
The illness need
not only be physical, but psychological as well, wherein a
person could experience lower level of concentration, drowsiness
and also show signs of slow reflexes.
Measures to tackle air pollution
1. Instead of using a vehicle
for short distance encourage family and friend to walk to
the market.
2. Bicycle should be used more
often than four wheelers.
3. Public forms of transport should
be used more often.
4. Try to send your children to
school be used more often.
5. Try to send your children to
school in the school bus than dropping them personally.
6. Encourage family and neighbours
to look after trees.
7. When not required, switch off
all fans and lights
8. Maintenance of car should be
done at regular intervals.
To make any changes
for a better environment, involvement of people is important.
By bringing awareness among people we could solve this problem.
Public involvement not only means NGOs but educational institutions
and consultants as well.
Fireworks during
Diwali are a cause of air pollution especially for pregnant
woman, asthma patients. MPCB (Maharashtra Pollution Control
Board) is collaborating with the police to monitor air pollution
during Diwali.
In reducing air
pollution we all can contribute to some extent by conserving
energy. Trees clears up the air around us by giving at oxygen
and taking in carbon dioxide and so our first step should
be to plant more and more trees around us and make the place
a healthy living space.
