‘Pollution has become a health hazard in Delhi’: Congress chief Yadav alleges Govt unable to address crisis

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav on Friday said that air pollution has enveloped the city and claimed that the latest PM2.5 levels in the national capital were not in the safe zone, adding that the situation has become a major public health hazard.

Yadav said that the level of pollutants and the situation are causing widespread illness and also leading to severe consequences in some cases.

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He accused the Delhi government of not being able to address the health crisis with strong actions.

Yadav said, according to experts, the most immediate and common effects of the toxic air are respiratory problems, claiming that hospitals were reporting a surge in the number of patients with problems of coughs, sore throats, nasal irritation, wheezing, asthma attacks, and eye irritation.

The Congress leader said that doctors have warned that prolonged exposure to such air quality can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and lung cancer, with effects similar to those of smoking tobacco.

He claimed that most hospitals under the Delhi government are ill-equipped to handle the surge of patients at present, alleging that most of these hospitals lack the necessary infrastructure, facilities, staff, and medicines, with patients forced to purchase medicines from the open market.

Yadav said that doctors warn that airborne pollutants directly expose the eyes to damage, causing burning sensations, itching, redness, and dryness, and, in the long term, increasing the risk of cataracts and other eye disorders.

He said that children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing heart or lung conditions are at the highest risk, as per medical experts.

The Congress leader also claimed that the pollution situation in Delhi has affected the city’s position as a great tourist destination, as a large number of tourists come from abroad.