How healthy is our air
The air we breathe in plays a vital role in determining our health status and also figures out how healthy we can remain in the near future. Air and its quality has a direct bearing on all the life forms on this planet and that being the reason that concerns about deteriorating air quality has been making headlines across the globe.
Jammu and Kashmir too has been witnessing a drastic downfall in air quality levels with major cities and towns grappling with unhealthy pollution levels that pose serious health risks, especially for vulnerable groups.
According to data from Interim Quality Assurance Report (IQAir) areas like Srinagar, Anantnag, and Jammu are experiencing hazardous air conditions, with rising concerns among health experts. Srinagar has reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 183, categorized as ‘Unhealthy.’
The primary pollutant in the city is fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which currently stands at a dangerously high concentration of 119.7 µg/m³. This level of pollution can cause significant health issues, particularly for those with pre-existing respiratory conditions. With temperatures hovering around 14°C and light winds of 4.7 km/h, residents are urged to minimize outdoor activities. The city’s humidity level is at 32%, further complicating air quality concerns.
Anantnag, located in the southern part of the valley the AQI has reached 146, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The concentration of PM2.5 here is slightly lower than in Srinagar at 53.6 µg/m³, but still above the safe threshold. The city’s weather conditions include a mild 18°C temperature, wind speeds of 5.8 km/h, and low humidity at 22%. Experts have been pitching in with various suggestions including recommendations that people with respiratory or heart conditions stay indoors and avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
Jammu is also facing even more severe pollution, with an AQI of 185, also classified as unhealthy. PM2.5 levels in the city are measured at 104.6 µg/m³, which significantly exceeds the safe limit for air quality. With temperatures currently at 26°C and wind speeds of 7.6 km/h, the region’s residents are facing an even greater threat to their health.
The worsening air quality in the Kashmir and Jammu regions highlights the growing environmental concerns and underscores the urgent need for measures to address pollution and protect public health.
Ironically, very little is being done to control the air pollution levels in the twin cities of Jammu and Srinagar as the World Health Organisation (WHO) last year had listed Srinagar as one of the ten most polluted cities of the world.
In absence of real-time air quality data, there is ambiguity about the levels of pollutants in the air in Srinagar and Jammu. Though the Pollution Control Board (PCB) had dismissed the WHO claim, the fact remains that air pollution is a serious issue in JK.
Incidentally, a report published in Lancet, a leading medical journal, puts J&K among top four Indian states in terms of respiratory diseases, attributing it majorly to air pollution and smoking.
As winter has already bade good bye and the summer season is making its entry chest ailments are witnessing a rise as patients with respiratory diseases have been getting uncomfortable. While doctors suspect deteriorating air quality in Kashmir as a major cause, lack of real-time ambient air quality monitoring leaves little choice for the researchers to call for some short and long term measures to bring in some relief on the pollution front.
Since lot needs to be done to curtail the air pollution levels, let us all pledge on this world health day to contribute our bit for conserving the environment and help improve the air quality in the region.
