- NEW DELHI (IANS) --
Do you realise that you are 10 times more vulnerable to pollution at home
than in a busy street outside?
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- A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) survey released
here says the presence of 10 times more harmful pollutants coming out of
heat convectors and non-combustible fuel in our kitchens than found in
the air outside.
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- "Recently, the main indoor pollutant affecting health
in urban areas is the extensive use of heat convectors that emit radiation
harmful to our skin," says Sudha Maheshwari, who has lived in London.
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- Emission of harmful diesel fuel, along with the noise,
from generators in residential areas is another major pollutant in urban
homes, she adds.
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- Furthermore, rampant use of traditional fuels like wood,
cow dung and charcoal is also known to cause pollution in Indian homes.
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- "Indoor pollution is not just confined to Delhi
but can be found across the country. People hardly use fully-combustible
eco-friendly fuel in our country," says H.K Chabra from the Vallabhbhai
Patel Chest Institute in the capital.
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- He says that the use of fuels that are not fully combustible
like cow dung, charcoal wood and coal emits harmful smoke that is inhaled
during cooking.
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- "Women are more vulnerable to indoor pollution than
men."
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- Alka Naik, medical practitioner, explaining harmful effects
of Indian traditional cooking, says: "Earlier, cooking was done in
an open space unlike the present-day cooking in closed homes where the
smoke circulates inside the house, entering our lungs and causing respiratory
and cardiac ailments."
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- The CPCB survey with the help of its nine pollution monitoring
stations in the national capital also warns about a steep rise in Delhi's
suspended particulate matter this year due to the late monsoon and frequent
dust storms.
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- The figure recorded near Najafgarh in Delhi was 600 micro
gram per cubic metre, much above the safe level of 140 micro gram per cubic
metre.
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- Amongst the new heath hazards, Chabra points out, is
that caused by ozone pollution, known to damage the skin.
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- The CPCB survey said: "Ozone is formed when oxides
of nitrogen fuse with sunlight. In Delhi, we have enough sunlight and nitrogen
oxides emitting from vehicles."
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