Air pollution and cancer: How deteriorating AQI is impacting overall health?
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New Delhi: A healthy individual should ideally experience an Air Quality Index (AQI) below 50. However, in recent times, the AQI has surged well above 400, which could potentially be life-threatening for those dealing with respiratory ailments and even increase the risk of developing lung cancer.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Piyush Ranjan (Additional Professor, Department of Medicine, AIIMS) said that there is scientific evidence that establishes a relationship between air pollution and different types of cancer. He also said that apart from causing harm to the respiratory system, air pollution has direct relations with coronary artery diseases like heart attack, brain stroke, and arthritis.
“It is important to understand that air pollution affects various systems of the body, apart from causing respiratory diseases. Pollution has direct relations with coronary artery diseases like heart attack, brain stroke, and arthritis. We have scientific evidence that establishes its relationship with different types of cancer,” the AIIMS doctor said.
Moreover, doctors warned about the harmful effects of air pollution on both the brain and heart. They stressed that it can also lead to anxiety in people of all age groups if we don’t take this issue seriously.
Delhi air quality remains in ‘severe’ category
Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi-NCR continued to be ‘severe’ on Monday with an overall Air Quality Index of 471, data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) showed. In the national capital, the Anand Vihar station remained in the ‘severe’ category with PM 2.5 at 500 while the CO was at 115 and NO2 at 135, both under the ‘moderate’ category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
To tackle the situation, the Delhi government has implemented the odd-even rule. It will be imposed across the national capital the day after Diwali. Moreover, school closures have been extended up to Class 11. “All schools will be shut across the national capital except Classes 10 and 12 till November 10,” State Environment Minister Gopal Rai said.
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