Air Pollution Is Causing Impaired Lungs In Children. Can We Wake Up Now?

Delhi has been in the news over the past two months and it’s for all the wrong reasons. When the city hit an all-time low in its quality of air, air purifiers and anti-pollution mask makers around the world made a LOT of money. But now the scare has died down and the city is officially back to being what it was. So what’s the next piece of news that’ll give us the push we need?

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found in a recent study that every third child in the capital has impaired lungs. “Every third child in Delhi has impaired lungs while air pollution causes 30% of all premature deaths in the country,” the CSE report titled ‘Body Burden: Lifestyle Diseases’ stated. Claims are being made about the connection between mental health and air pollution, though that section of the study is yet to be explored.

61% of the deaths in the country are due to lifestyle or NCDs which include factors like tobacco, alcohol, poor diet, the lack of physical exercise and intake of food with high salt, sugar and fat content but low nutritional value. All of which, most of us are guilty of. Lifestyle diseases have turned into monsters that are taking this nation head on. The largest killer in the country diseases like obesity, cancer, mental health and heart diseases all come under this category.

According to the report, by the year 2020, 1.73 million new cases of cancer will be recorded. The triggers for which will be pollution, tobacco, diet changes and alcohol – as identified by the World Health Organisation. CSE director general Sunita Narain, made a statement saying “(The WHO) wants to play it as safe as possible so that it does not have to confront the real players and demand a restraint on their products, not through voluntary action but through government policies that restrict and restrain and put a premium on nutrition, not consumption.”

However, the city’s pollution does have a role to play. It has reached an all time high once again since the public outcry and this time the stakes are higher. So put on your masks and maybe switch to a public transport, your city needs your help.

Stay safe, Delhi!

Featured Image: Hindustan Times