Fighting air pollution: ‘Suspended dust affects kids more than adults’

Children are most affected by it because of their height, as dust remained suspended at a lower level the most

“A passive or a non-smoker is affected more by smoking than a smoker,” said Dr Suryakant, professor and head of the department, respiratory medicine, King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow.

Arun Kumar Saxena, minister of state (independent), environment & climate change speaks at the event. (HT Photo)

“Only 30% of the smoke goes into the body of a smoker while 70% of the smoke goes into the passive smoker or into the environment,” the doctor said at a programme titled ‘Solutions for Health, Air Pollution, and Environment (SHAPE)’ organised jointly by UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and a Lucknow-based NGO, Lung Care Foundation (LCF), at the Indian Industries Association.

“U.P. is facing an air pollution challenge primarily due to seven root causes, including traffic, construction, smoking, biomass fuel, factories, which are causing diseases like asthma bronchitis, lung cancer among others,” the doctor said, adding that children are most affected by it because of their height, as dust remained suspended at a lower level the most.

In his keynote address, chief guest of the function, Arun Kumar Saxena, minister of state (independent), environment and climate change, stressed upon the use of solar energy, and using LPG gas for cooking instead of wood or stubble. Manoj Singh, ACS, environment, forest, and climate change, while talking about the UP government’s 35 crore plantation in the state, said “our aim is to plant 140 crore in the coming year to fight carbon emissions.”