Says AQI gradually going into “Poor” category in Kashmir, especially during winters; ‘There is need to intervene now’
Srinagar- There are around 10 thousands deaths in J&K which are attributed to air pollution yearly and there is need to act and control it by countering it, Director SKIMS Dr Parvaiz Koul said on Saturday.
Talking on the sidelines of the launch of Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action, J&K Chapter, Dr Koul said that yearly around 10 thousand deaths are attributed to particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) exposure and there is need to control it by countering it.
“Todays programme was intended with an idea to create awareness among public that Air Pollution issue is not only in Delhi and Maharashtra but also in J&K due to increasing number of vehicles, construction, brick kilns, cement factories which emit pollutants and significantly pollute our air and affecting our health which makes air pollution a health issue”, he said.
“Our aim is to make doctors aware and this message will reach the masses as people treat advice from doctors as words of God and people will get information on how to decrease air pollution and how they can contribute to it,” Koul added.
He said the measures, which can contribute to decreasing air pollution include using fewer vehicles, decreasing the use of unleaded petrol, decreasing use of biomass fuels, less use of Kangri, and using vented heaters.
He said air pollution is affecting every single organ of the body and ”we have work to reduce the pollution.”
“Air quality index in Kashmir is gradually going into a poor category, especially during winters and in the past few days AQI has gone from moderate to severe and there is a need to intervene now”, he added.
He said the government is the policy maker and in the recent past good things have happened like plantation on Hari Parbat and changing Hari Parbat from barren to forest land.
“There is a need to take similar initiatives so as to reduce air pollution. Walking tracks have been constructed as a good initiative as a part of Smart City Project and there is need to do more small steps so as to control air pollution gradually,” he said. (KNO)
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