Thermal plant fly ash — Bane of Bathinda
Children more susceptible to respiratory, eye ailments
Anil Jerath
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 2
Polluted air here is causing respiratory and ophthalmic diseases, particularly among children. According to doctors almost every second child visiting a paediatrician or general practitioner, shows symptoms of respiratory or ophthalmic diseases and the incidence was increasing. Dr H S Narang, who monitored respiratory disease among children, said ome 20 to 30 per cent children visiting his clinic display symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, asthma and symptoms of nasal allergy . Respiratory diseases were on the rise , he said . Rise in respiratory diseases in the city was attributed to increasing pollution of air due to thermal plant ash.

On diseases caused by polluted air Dr Narang said allergic bronchitis and allergic asthma were affecting the children more followed by allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, etc. He said environment of the city was harming children.

Dr Narang added on an average around 12 to 15 per cent childern displayed symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, nasal symptoms, wheezing and asthma maintaining respiratory symptoms had increased in the recent past. "The physical condition of the children has been affecting their ability to study and play,” claimed Dr Narang

“Repeated chest infection decreases immunity of children, and is unable to tolerate stress. The condition also affects ability to concentrate on studies and play outdoor games,” he observed.

Dr K K Goyal, of local Civil Hospital, said thermal plant ash was the major cause of air pollution. In addition, industrial smoke, vehicular emission, smoking, lack of green cover, unhygienic conditions and poor sanitary habits, urbanisation and growing population were other factors responsible for respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma and tuberculosis among children. These diseases could be controlled and prevented if atmospheric pollution and smoking were controlled .

Dr Goyal said children probably feel effect of pollution at lower level than adults. If children are not properly treated at the right age, they carry the disease with them throughout their life.

Dr Amrit Sethi, an ophthalmologist and former president of the IMA, citing an example of a resident, said the resident was going to market but had to be rushed a doctor as some foreign body entered his eyes and started troubling him. He had to keep one of his eyes closed with bandage after he removed the foreign body. Dr Sethi said there was 20 per cent rise in patients reporting with foreign bodies in eyes, in two years.

“It is criminal to go without sun glasses in Bathinda,” he added. He said cataract was assuming alarming proportions in Bathinda with diabetes and pollution affecting population fast. Due to pollution, steroid-dependent asthma patients are being increasingly found to develop cataract later.