More insidious than any war, environmental pollution is the enemy within
We all have heard of terrorists working on weapons of mass destruction but no attention has been paid to the environmental pollution, including noise and water pollution, in our country. Each poses a threat and health hazard to the people of our country.
Environmental pollution is caused by the release of gases such as Nitrous oxide and sulphur from the incombustible gases from diesel and petrol in vehicles. More than 30 percent of our vehicles lead to the release of incombustible gases and cannot be declared fit. Diesel emits more than 40 chemicals as air toxic contaminants known as human carcinogens, reproductive repressors and endocrine deceptors. Motor vehicles generate about 30 per cent of all emissions of Nitrous oxides, volatile organic compounds which lead to respiratory problems, asthma and premature death.
Nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbon are emitted by motor vehicles, such as cars, scooters, motorcycles, buses and motor rickshaws. These lead to the incomplete combustion of petrol and diesel, releasing carbon monoxide and sulphur into the air. All this exposure to air pollution leads to inflammation, hyper activity, bronchial epithelial, upper respiratory tract inflammation leading to cough, chest pain and nausea malaise headache, fatigue and decreased ability to perform normal activity. Higher concentration of ozone also leads to asthma, nasal allergy, nasal blockage and irritation.
Children are more susceptible to such pollutants as the ozone level tends to be higher during hot and sunny days especially at noon when children are likely to be playing outside. Such children are prone to chest diseases such as asthma and nasal blockage. Recommendation The government and public sector should take vehicles leading to the incomplete combustion of fuel seriously. Motor rickshaws should be provided with silencers and the government as well as the private sector should make the proper checkup of all vehicles compulsory.
Paediatricians and ENT specialists, chest physicians must constantly inform the public about the hazards of air pollution and its risks such as asthma and cystic fibrosis particularly affecting children. Physicians must make parents aware of the higher risk of such ailments.
The effects of exposure to multiple pollutants is difficult to study in the human body. But there have been a few studies of sulphur, Nitrous oxide and hydrocarbons. In addition to the detrimental effects on their pulmonary function, children exposed to airborne pollution with their narrow airways are more vulnerable to its hazards. In adults the irritation caused by air pollution would produce only a slight response yet in a child can result in a potentially significant obstruction ofhis airway. Moreover, children have a markedly increased need for oxygen. They breathe 25 to 30 breaths per minute as compared to the 16-18 breaths per minute of an adult. As they breathe rapidly they inhale more pollutants as per pound of their body-weight than do adults.
Recommendation
Motor vehicles, rickshaws, taxis, bus and wagon drivers and their owners should be informed about the hazards of pollution from the gases released by unfit vehicles leading to air pollution. Silencers and combustion mechanisms must be properly installed with a through checking of carburettors and fuel injection systems. Regular inspection of vehicles on a monthly basis should be carried out. Over speeding liberates more incombustible gases leading to more environmental pollution. Such action should be discouraged. Parents must be informed about the problems of air pollution in the community which leads to asthma and cystic fibrosis in children. Government, private, semi-private sectors and the public should be made aware of such risks through the news media.
Water pollution
Water pollution is a health hazard in both the rural and urban areas. In the rural areas people do not have the facility of clean water. A major source of water is the river, a tube well or a government-established water pipeline. Almost all these sources of water have one form of contaminants or the other, with the result that most of the population in the rural areas suffers from chronic gastrointestinal hypatic and renal diseases with a lack of proper facilities available for their care or cure.
The situation in the urban areas is similar. Although the water supply is adequately maintained; yet the sources of water are not properly sterilized. Leakage of water pipelines often causes gutter water to seep into normal water. After illnesses have been rife in the city this reason is discovered.
Big cities like Karachi often suffer from water deprivation especially in the thickly populated areas of Landhi, Korangi, Kemari, Ranchor Lines where the people are unable to afford the expensive water tankers. Water pollution leads to water borne diseases. Typhoid is the most common disease spread through milk, water and food leading to intestinal infection, fever and at times intestinal perforation which can be fatal if not treated in time properly.
Dysentery, amoebic and baciallry dysenteries are also common in our country. Children are more prone to such infections. Gastrointites is a fatal disease which is the cause behind the high death ratio in cases of children in our country. Giardiasis is a disease contracted commonly through improper personal hygiene and contaminated drinking water leading to loss of appetite, weakness, malaise. Hepatitis (Jaundice) is another major illness caused by the contamination of water and food.
Recommendation
1. All drinking water should be boiled for a minimum of 10 minutes during which it should be boiling.
2. Simple disinfectants such as Alum are helpful additions to boiling water.
3. Promote usage of mineralized drinking water.
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is receiving attention globally. It has been a major cause of hearing impairments both in the developed and the developing countries. It isimportant to bring about public awareness and join the global community in its campaign against noise-induced hearing loss. In our country traffic plays a significant role in hearing impairment. Noise pollution from pressure horns, tape recorder, radios in cars, the unpleasant noises from old vehicles, rickshaws without silencers are important contributors to hearing impairment.
Surveys of Industrial areas have also revealed evidence of deafness and hearing impairment. The noise in mines, shipyards, weaving mills, factories and any form of artillery fields together with shooting during hunts, mine blasts, all contribute to deafness from that which is mild to what is moderate deafness. Noises from social gatherings and forms of entertainment are other contributors to noise-induced hearing loss. The younger generation and the middle aged and old at times also sustain damage to their tympanic membrane drum by the sound from drums, music, rock bands, loud sound-speakers which afflict not only the listener but also the entertainer. In some parts of our country firing in the air at a wedding reception is common phenomena; which leads to noise-induced trauma. Though hearing impairment is a preventable disability various methods have been adopted to prevent and to cure it by means of medicine or surgery. A survey of various areas of Karachi was conducted in order to estimate the threshold of hearing and the results were compared with the noise-induced level during the days transporters went on strike.
Chart
Noise level during the transporters strike day: Recommendation /
A training programme should be conducted to create awareness through the televised media, newspapers, seminars, symposia charts, posters both by the government and the public sector.
Vehicles should be properly inspected to avoid the usage of pressure horns, radios, tape recorders which can cause damage to both people outside the car as well as to the driver and the passengers of the car. The use of loud sounding Walkman by the younger generation should be discouraged.
Vehicles especially rickshaws should be equipped with silencers to minimize the noise and noise-induced hearing loss. Volunteers should come forward to educate the people about the hazards of noise-induced hearing loss.
School and colleges should be made aware of the hazards of musical instruments and high intensity loud speakers.
More insidious than any war, environmental pollution is the enemy within 
