Chilly weather increasing risk of dust allergy

ISLAMABAD—The persistent cold and chilly weather has increased the risk of dust allergy and throat infection among the people. The dull and dry weather is one of the major factor contributing in increasing dust allergy. Apart from weather effects, automobiles are the prime contributors of air pollution causing various respiratory ailments. While the unhygienic garbage disposal also increases the respiratory and skin diseases. Hundreds of sweepers in the twin cities are further polluting the air by raising thick clouds of dust and dirt during peak morning hours.
The sweepers start cleaning and sweeping the roads early morning, raising thick clouds of dust particles and adding pollutants in the atmosphere. A majority of the residents leave their homes for work and children for schools and colleges during the peak morning hours which directly exposes them to the pollution, seriously affecting their health, said Asma Akhtar, a student.
The dust particles lodge in the lungs resulting various allergies and respiratory problems. Through maintaining cleanliness, risk of dust allergy can be reduced to some extent, a medical expert told. Highlighting the effects of dust allergy, he termed violent bouts of sneezing, an itchy throat, breathlessness and black sputum as some of the immediate effects of being exposed to high levels of dust.
The lack of cleanliness was the major reason of increasing allergies problem. The sweeping work must be given importance, as without cleanliness there can be no health. The residents have urged the Solid Waste Management Departments of the Capital Development Authority and the Tehsil Municipal Administration of Rawalpindi to increase number of vehicles for lifting the waste from the storage bins.

—Online