Air Pollution in Indian Big Cities– Increasing Human Health Problems

Urbanization is increasing and that cannot be stopped. Accordingly, the pollution is increasing at alarming rate in cities. Three types of major pollution are available in our environment affecting the human health such as air pollution, water pollution and soil contamination. Air pollution is most hazardous for human health. Outdoor air pollution is very dreadful – estimated caused to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2012. 80% outdoor air pollution –related premature death were due to ichaemic heart disease and strokes, while 14% of deaths were due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or acute lower respiratory infections and 6% death due to the lung cancer.  Pollution causes physical disabilities, psychological and behavioral disorder in people. People living in low and middle income countries are heavily facing the problem of air pollution with 88% of 3.7 million premature deaths; heavily polluted regions are Western pacific and South East Asia.  Air pollution mainly affects the respiratory and inflammatory systems, but can also lead to more serious conditions such as heart disease and cancer. People lung or heart is more susceptible to the effect of air pollution.

                                     Air Pollution in Indian Big Cities

Source:WHO      

Effects of Air Pollution

Most of peoples are affected due to air pollution, causes Watery eyes, coughing and wheezing. Even healthy peoples are not spared from air pollution and can cause to respiratory irritation or breathing difficulties during exercise. Severe health problems may develop due air pollution and examples are individual with heart disease- such as coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure and individual with lung disease –such as asthma, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pollution also adversely affect the health of athletes who regularly exercise outdoors, pregnant woman, outdoor workers and growing children whose lungs are still developing. Effect of the air pollution on human depends upon the time period and level of the pollution.

Effects of Long and Sustained Air Pollution

Permanent health problems are developed with long and sustained polltions such as decreases lung function, loss of lung capacity and aging of lung at a faster rate. Long and sustained air pollution also reduces the life span and also develops the disease such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or cancer.

Effects of High Level Air Pollution

Human living in high level air pollution area can have immediate problems and is exposed to cardiovascular and respiratory illness. Heart and lungs have to work more for supply of oxygen to the body; hence heart and lungs are overburden and always remain in stress condition. The cells of respiratory system may also cause to damage due to higher level of air pollution.

Conclusion

Air pollution is most dreadful and painful; it directly hits the most important organ of human i.e. lung and heart. Even healthy peoples, children, athletes pregnant women are not spared from pollution. In other words, we can say air pollution is nothing but a poisonous gas which affects the human in various ways. In big cities in India the air pollution is increasing at a faster rate with the population and economic growth. Accordingly, health problems are regularly increasing.