Air pollution menace: Centre asks people to use public transport, reduce firecrackers as Diwali nears

Amid a spike in air pollution levels in several cities, the central government has asked all states to improve their preparedness to tackle the menace, which is likely to worsen during the Diwali celebrations.

The states have also been told to strengthen their capacity of healthcare workforce to deal with the expected healthcare issues due to air pollution.

The Union Health Ministry has also urged people to use public transport, minimise exposure to polluted air and avoid heavily congested areas.

Last week, in a letter to states and union territories (UTs), Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Atul Goel advised them to discourage stubble and waste burning and spread awareness among people about reducing firecrackers during festivities, promoting public transportation, limiting reliance on diesel-based generators, and curbing smoking.

"Additionally, individuals should be advised to minimise their exposure to polluted air by monitoring air quality indices through government mobile applications before venturing outdoors, avoiding heavily congested areas, and opting for cleaner fuels at home for cooking, heating, and lighting," Dr Goel said in the letter.

Air pollution has recently become a serious health challenge, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in certain states/UTs reaching moderate to poor levels, he also said.

Air pollution is a significant contributor to acute health conditions and exacerbates the progression of chronic diseases affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular systems. These chronic illnesses, attributed to prolonged exposure to air pollution, often lead to an increase in premature mortality.

Further, the DGHS said that the adverse effects are particularly severe for vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with pre-existing health conditions, and those who face higher exposure risks due to their occupations, such as traffic police officers and municipal workers.

"In light of this, I urge the state health departments and healthcare facilities to enhance their preparedness. This should include intensifying public awareness campaigns, disseminating targeted messaging through designated mass media channels in regional languages, strengthening the capacity of the healthcare workforce, and scaling up participation in sentinel surveillance systems for air pollution-related diseases under the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health," he said.