Toxic city air | Political economy

SShahida, whose daughter Zainab suffers from respiratory problems, lives in a busy bazaar where vehicular traffic contributes significantly to air pollution. Shahida says Zainab has been suffering from respiratory problems since she was five years old. Zainab goes to school near GTS Chowk. The place is plagued by constant traffic congestion. Despite taking some precautions and antibiotics prescribed by doctors, Zainab's respiratory health continues to deteriorate. Shahida says the doctor informed her that diesel soot particles trigger allergic reactions.

Shahida says the impact of air pollution on her life has been subtle and profound. She says Zainab's breathing problems began with wheezing in childhood and have now developed into a severe respiratory disease.

Zainab currently relies on an inhaler due to her weakened lungs. When she comes into contact with dust mites, the air she breathes reacts more strongly. Doctors have explained to Shahida that respiratory allergies are linked to environmental factors. Heavy traffic, as well as pollutants such as dust mites, pollen, animal dander and smoke, contribute to more intense allergic reactions. Shahida says: “Air pollution is a silent killer. It often goes unnoticed.”

Dr. Sajid Aziz, a pulmonologist from Gujarat, says, “The main cause of asthma can be allergies or underlying diseases. Both are aggravated by air pollution. Each attack causes irreversible damage to the airways.”

Dr Muhammad Zubair, associate professor at the University of Gujarat, says that the atmosphere is mainly composed of nitrogen, oxygen, argon and carbon dioxide. “Combustion of organic fuels like diesel oil and coal releases carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, PM10 and PM2.5, which contributes to increase in ambient temperature and respiratory diseases.”

He says many vehicles in Gujarat emit nitrogen oxides, also known as photochemical smog, which causes respiratory problems, especially asthma. Nitrogen oxides released by motorcycles, cars and public transport cause smog in both winter and summer. In summer, they accumulate in the environment, remain invisible due to sunlight and lead to respiratory problems such as asthma, tuberculosis and lung cancer.

“Our lungs take in oxygen from the environment and expel carbon dioxide. However, the heavy traffic in Gujarat causes harmful particles to settle in our lungs, clog our veins and cause asthma and allergic diseases,” says Dr Zubair.

The professor adds: “People often silently neglect the actions that harm them.”

He says we can reduce air pollution through reforestation because plants act as a sink for carbon dioxide.

Younas, a factory worker, says he started working at the age of 17 when he had no breathing problems. But after four years, at 21, he started having breathing problems due to the pollutants in the factories. Doctors advised him to avoid dust, but financial constraints prevented him from quitting his job. Over time, his symptoms worsened, leading to frequent coughing and difficulty breathing. At 25, he was diagnosed with asthma, which significantly affected his sleep. He says the factory dust damaged his throat and later caused breathing problems. Now he is 37, and doctors have told him his lungs are failing.

“Smog and soot are two man-made causes of air pollution. High levels cause sore throats, itchy eyes and repeated coughing fits in healthy people. This can cause shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing with sputum and eventually asthma.”

Dr. Sajid says, “Smog and soot are two man-made causes of air pollution. High levels lead to sore throat, itchy eyes and repeated coughing fits in healthy people. This can trigger shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing with sputum and eventually asthma. A family history is also associated with respiratory diseases, especially asthma and allergies.

According to Dr. Sajid, air pollution is a global challenge. People can protect themselves by covering their faces with masks to prevent the pollutants in the air. They should also drink more water.

Zahid Saqib and his colleagues from the University of Gujarat have studied air pollution in the region. They found that pollution from industry and traffic is contributing to an increase in regional greenhouse gas concentrations in Gujarat. “Children who attend schools nearby are the most affected,” says the researcher.

Saqib says air pollution can be mitigated by using wet scrubbers. The device is designed to capture airborne particles by exposing them to a mist of water or liquid. This process removes the particles from the contaminated airstream. Spray tower scrubbers can remove 90 percent of particles larger than about 8 microns from the airstream.

Their research revealed that about 70 percent of the population in the selected area faces problems related to climate change. 46 percent of Gujarat residents suffer from allergic diseases and 20 percent struggle with asthma. About 37 percent of respondents attribute these health problems to climate change, while 38 percent believe they are due to human activities. 91 percent of participants reported being affected by the weather, highlighting the significant challenges Gujarat faces in terms of water supply and pollution due to urbanization and climate change.

Environmental protection inspector Muddassir Iqbal Qadri is urging the government to take measures to control air pollution. He says air pollution has increased due to urbanization and exhaust fumes from factories and vehicles.

According to World Bank reports, outdoor air pollution in Pakistan causes approximately 22,000 premature adult deaths each year and results in the loss of 163,432 disability-adjusted life years.

In 2019, an estimated 4.2 million people died prematurely worldwide due to outdoor air pollution. The majority of these deaths, about 89 percent, occurred in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO regions of South-East Asia and the Western Pacific were the most affected.

Indoor air pollution contributes to about 40 million cases of acute respiratory infections and 28,000 deaths each year. According to the WHO Global Health Observatory, indoor air pollution in Pakistan causes about 30 deaths per 100,000 people and outdoor air pollution causes about 25 deaths per 100,000 people.

The author is a freelance journalist based in Gujranwala