Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The city is witnessing a rise in respiratory diseases because the steady and dry wintry wind is raising dust from its dug-up thoroughfares for construction work, say health experts. According to them, the number of cases has increased by 25-30%, because the dry air traps dust particles.
This is the reason why they voiced concern over such cases. Worst sufferers are the children, the youths and the elderly, health experts said. According to doctors, the number of people visiting the OPD of various hospitals with the complaints of breathlessness, asthma, and common cough and cold has increased by 25%.
In December last year, 300 such patients visited the hospitals daily. This year, the number has shot up to 500. In serious cases, the patient needs nebulizer and oxygen therapy, so before this situation arises, people should take precautions, the doctors said. The residents have been advised to wear masks, use air purifiers in rooms, and avoid outdoor activities during peak hours of pollution. Complaints have poured in from MP Nagar, Kolar Road, and Bairagarh, where construction work is in full swing but there are no measures to control dust.
A local shop owner, Ayush Kapoor, who owns a paint shop near Bhopal Junction railway station, said that he was facing respiratory problems and eye itching because of ongoing construction on Hamidia Road. Another shopkeeper, Arpit Shah, who runs a hardware shop near Bhopal Talkies Square, said a month ago his uncle, Praveen Kumar Shah, was having acute cough trouble due to dusty roads and the doctors suggested him to take 20 days rest.
Doctors advise precautionary measures
Dr Ankit Tomar, a pulmonary expert at JP Hospital, said that due to pollution and cold, chronic asthma patients with weak immunity system were becoming serious. There has been a huge increase in the number of patients complaining of breathlessness in the hospital. He has advised the asthma patients to avoid any kind of negligence.
Dr Parag Sharma, an associate professor in respiratory medicine at Hamidia, told Free Press that the dust generated from road construction activities were contributing significantly to respiratory illnesses like asthma, bronchitis, and other lung-related issues. In winter, the air becomes heavy, and dust particles remain suspended, making it harder for people to breathe, he said.
