Mangaluru, May 9: The pulmonary function test (PFT) conducted on the traffic police by the Anti-Pollution Drive (APD) Foundation has showed a significant correlation in lung functions and exposure to vehicular pollutants.
According to the results of the test and the subsequent study, reduction in air pollution can reduce the number of traffic police falling prey to restrictive lung disease. Reduction in exposure by use of protective gears like pollution mask and reduction in the duration of exposure in a day would also help in improving their lung function. Monitoring vehicles, which are on roads for over 10 years for pollution, would also help in minimising the level of pollution, the foundation said in a press release.
The PFT by computerised spirometer, measuring FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEFR, and FEF25-75 per cent, was measured by pulmonologists from the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Yenepoya Medical College.
The test showed that significant number of traffic personnel have affected lungs. The results indicated that 22.3 per cent of the policemen having five and less than five years of service are showing signs of restrictive lungs. About 26.3 per cent policemen, having more than five years' experience, are showing restrictive lung capacity.
The Foundation which has germinated from this city has observed that Mangaluru is one of the rapidly growing cities in the country and the growth is associated with an enormous increase in vehicular traffic emitting exhausts and polluting the atmosphere. Airborne dust plays a major part in the overall atmospheric pollution and motor vehicle emissions are the most significant sources of pollution in an urban environment. Road traffic produces volatile organic compounds, suspended particulate matter, oxides of sulphur, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide which makes adverse health effects on the exposed population, it said.
It said the traffic-related air pollution is a day-to-day health hazard to individuals who commute to offices, school and colleges. Several students use the public transportation or the transportation provided by the educational institutes and they are exposed to hazardous toxins in the air. Schoolchildren, who are exposed to pollution at a tender age, develop health hazards is their respiratory system due to automobile exhaust. Every year, the percentage of asthmatic children is increasing in urban areas. Vehicular pollution is the sole pollution contributing elements in a large scale within city limits affecting residents, school students and officer goers.
APD?Foundation Founder Abdullah A Rehman said observing respiratory complaints among the retired traffic police would help in studying the long-term effects of the occupation. Through PFT results, APD further wants to study the health impacts of pollution in Mangaluru and related issues.
He added, “The foundation will be able to identify the impact on the most-affected group based on the PFT results. We will then identify the location and area that they are working and start monitoring the pollution levels in these areas. We will also use this information to work towards categorical mitigation.”
ACP (Traffic) Uday Nayak said the tests conducted by the foundation have helped the police a lot. “It is good to know the health condition of the police, especially the traffic police personnel,” he said and added that the hospitals have offered to provide free treatment to the affected police personnel.
The kidnapped schoolboy was rescued by the police and reunited with his parents. Son of a gift shop owner from Basavanagudi area in Bengaluru, Chirag has reportedly told police that decided to make some quick money to spend on cricket betting and gambling after learning kidnap tricks from the ‘Crime Patrol’. According to police, Chirag reached a private school around 3pm on Tuesday on a Bounce rental bike and zeroed in on a fourth standard student who was walking out of school. He told the boy he was his father's friend and that he required help to search for a relative who had gone missing. The boy believed Chirag and rode pillion on the bike. Chirag then engaged the boy in conversation and learnt about his father's business and got his mobile phone number. He then made a call to the boy's father, demanded Rs 5 lakh and warned him against approaching cops. However, the boy's father alerted Cottonpet police and special teams were formed to crack the case. While Cottonpet inspector Venkatesh TC's squad verified CCTV footage in and around the school, Chamarajpet inspector BG Kumaraswamy's team started tracking the suspect's mobile phone movements. An hour later, the suspect's location was traced to a hotel on the Lavelle Road-St Mark's Road stretch. Police rushed there, rescued the boy and arrested Chirag.
Comments
really sad to see traffic police in this heavy heat climate.
my father is working in police department, i m very much worried about his health.
really effecting health of traffic police, must wear musk all the time while on duty.
yahh rain, air pollution, heat make them sick.
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