SWABI, May 13: Wheat threshers have caused pollution in the air, causing various skin, chest and lung diseases among the people of the district, especially the children.

Flu, allergy, cough, throat and chest diseases are commonly reported among the people of the area caused by air pollution.

The wheat threshers have been put into operation by farmers across the district after the end of the wheat harvesting.

Reports from different areas like Kunda, Salim Khan, Maneri, Bamkhel, Topi say that the people have quarrelled with the farmers when the latter refused to thrash their wheat far from residential areas.

Even some people have reported the matter to police, demanding that the threshers should not be operated near populated areas but the farmers are not ready to accept the fact that the their machines are causing a number of diseases in the area.

Heads of educational institutions in the area have also complained to the farmers but to no avail.

Talking to Dawn, a headmaster said since farmers were illiterate it was an uphill task to convince them on the subject.

Some teachers have demanded that if the farmers do not agree then FIRs should be lodged against them under relevant laws and if that is not possible then schools should be closed down on the day when the threshers go under operation to save schoolchildren from getting infected.

A medical specialist at the DHQ hospital said cases of chest diseases had increased manifold due to the pollution caused by threshers. District Naib Nazim Muhammad Jamil advocate says the government is determined to provide a pollution-free environment to the people.