Residents of Lucknow Inhaling Equivalent of 7-8 Cigarettes Daily Due to Air Pollution, Reveals New Data

These alarming revelations emerged during a comprehensive workshop on air pollution and climate change, jointly organised by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and the Lung Care Foundation (LCF) on Wednesday.

Named "Solutions for Health, Air Pollution, and Environment in Uttar Pradesh" (SHAPE-UP), the workshop emphasised the urgency of lifestyle modifications and collective efforts to combat the challenges posed by climate change.

Dr. Arvind Kumar, founder and trustee of LCF, noted, "In the 1980s, around 85% of the lung infection patients I treated were smokers. Today, over 50% of my patients are non-smokers but exhibit lung conditions akin to those of individuals smoking 7-8 cigarettes daily."

Arun Kumar Saxena, Minister of State for Environment and Climate Change, advocated the adoption of solar energy and LPG gas for cooking as alternatives to wood or stubble burning, citing their potential to drive significant change.

The workshop also addressed emissions from industries and the necessity of promoting greener practices among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Neeraj Singhal, President of the Indian Industries Association (IIA), stressed the importance of providing technological support to entrepreneurs, encouraging the use of biodiesel and other eco-friendly technologies, and ensuring uninterrupted power supply to reduce reliance on diesel generators.

Dr. Suryakant, Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at King George's Medical University (KGMU), revealed that only 30% of smoke is directly inhaled by a smoker, with the remaining 70% entering the environment and affecting passive smokers. He identified seven primary causes of air pollution in Uttar Pradesh, including traffic, construction, smoking, biomass fuel, and industrial emissions, all of which contribute to diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer.

The workshop concluded by urging citizens to take simple actions such as quitting smoking, refraining from burning wood for cooking, and planting trees to combat the dire air quality issue. A.P. Maheshwari, former Director General at CRPF and patron at LCF, underscored the pivotal role of civil society in driving long-term behavioural change and disseminating the message of lifestyle modifications to address the challenges of climate change.

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The above article has been published from a wire source with minimal modifications to the headline and text.