More pollution in city air as people battling breathing problems

More pollution in city air as people battling breathing problems

KATHMANDU, MAY 06 -

Anu Shahi, 22, who lives in the Airport area in Kathmandu, would not worry about the occasional ‘breathing difficulty’ that she used to experience. She took it as most people in the city would do—casually.

The chokabloc traffic and the polluted air, made worse by the road expansion drive, might have something to do with the breathing problems, Shahi thought. “However, the condition became frequent and worse and went to a point where I felt like my breathing has stopped,” she told the Post. “I went to see a doctor and learnt that I had developed asthma.”

Shahi remained under medication for six months, until a week ago. She said she is faring well now.

With most of the road sections lying in a neglected state, the onset of the summer season and the strong winds mean an increase in respiratory problems and eye irritations due to the rising dust level in the valley. The Kathmandu Valley Town Development Implementation Committee (KVTDIC) has so far demolished and expanded 140 km of the road, among which only 15 km have been blacktopped. KVTDIC still plans to bulldoze 260 km as part of the expansion drive.

Madan Karki, 45, a patient of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), said he has stopped jogging on the roadsides ever since the road expansion work began in the Babarmahal area. “You cannot jog in the alleys here. At least in the morning your body demands an open space,” Karki said. “I tried it for a few days, but since my problem started to worsen I thought I should stop than to risk my life.” Chest specialist Dr Dirghasingh Bam said the dry environment, along with the debris following the road expansion, has added to the woes of people living in Kathmandu. 

“It is hard to say if people develop chronic respiratory diseases just because of the debris. However, I get young patients with respiratory problems and influenza, which is perhaps a result of the dusty environment everywhere around,” he said. “The haze is dangerous for patients suffering from asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases.” Dr Bam urged the government to complete some destroyed portions of the road first, before moving on to dig other areas.

Data at the Tribhuvan Univeristy Teaching Hospital show that 377 patients with COPD had been admitted in the hospital in 2011, while 548 had been admitted in 2012. The hospital says that since these are chronic patients and require special medical attention, many patients with minor problems visit the OPD of the hospital every day. 

Dr Kabir Nath Yogi, in-charge of the Respiratory Disease Unit at the hospital, said people are likely to develop breathing problems due to the dust. However, he said since people develop minor problems, most of them end up in diagnostic centres and clinics in their community instead of coming to the hospital. He said children are particularly prone to pneumonia due to the dust.

Chest specialist at the Bir Hospital Dr Kiran Manadhar said he sees many patients with recurring COPD. “Although the effect of the dust may not be seen immediately, there could be a big public health problem if the roads are left incomplete for a long time,” he said. “To patients with chronic pulmonary disease, all we can say is don’t get out of your homes.” Doctors suggest the use of clean face masks is the only option for the people to be safe. They also say that the masks have to be changed on a regular basis. 

Apart from respiratory diseases, eye infection remains a major problem. Further, the unmanaged roadside eateries and street food have complicated matters. Eye specialist at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital Dr Ananda Sharma said children visiting the hospital with allergic eyes is common these days.

Dr Sharma suggests people use protective sun glasses, while he says those riding motorcycles should use visors in their helmets.

Chief of the KVTDIC Bhai Kaji Tiwari said the road expansion drive has slowed down following complaints of health complications. “However, we will not stop bulldozing the encroached structures,” he said.

Source: The Kantipur Daily