Annually around 10,000 deaths attributed to air pollution in J&K: Director SKIMS
Srinagar: Director SKIMS Dr Parvaiz Koul on Saturday said around 10,000 deaths in J&K are attributed to air pollution every year.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action, J&K Chapter, he said that yearly around 10,000 deaths are attributed to particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) exposure and there is need to control it by countering it.
“Today’s programme was intended with an idea to create awareness among public that air pollution is an issue not only in Delhi and Maharashtra, but also in J&K due to increasing number of vehicles, constructions, 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.
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 affects every single organ of the body.
“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 some good things have happened — like plantations have been carried out on otherwise barren Hari Parbat forest land, and walking tracks have been constructed as a part of Smart City project.
“There is a need to take similar initiatives to reduce air pollution,” he said.
