Pollution causes health hazards

PATNA: With air quality deteriorating in city, people have started developing breathing problems, eye irritation, chronic cough and nose and throat infections.

“Concentration of dust particles and harmful pollutants may further increase in winter season as the pollutants remain trapped in the lower level of atmosphere when the temperature drops,” said S N Jaiswal, scientist at Bihar State Pollution Control Board.

Senior citizens above 60 years of age and children below five years, according to Jaiswal, are more vulnerable to air pollution.

“We have decided to phase out old, polluting vehicles from Patna and other major districts of the state,” Jaiswal said.

Dr Deependra Kumar Rai, associate professor at AIIMS-Patna, said, “We recorded 25% growth in number of people complaining about respiratory illness last month.”

Besides Patna, the air quality monitoring stations at Muzaffarpur and Gaya on Friday recorded air quality index (AQI) at 259 and 130, which is considered “poor” and “moderate”, respectively.

Danapur resident Ashish Ranjan, who has been suffering from chronic cough because of pollution, said, “The doctors have advised me to wear mask while heading outdoors,” a 26-year-old said.