Ludhiana, April 20
People of the city have already started developing symptoms of breathlessness, asthma and the other respiratory ailments due to continuous burning of wheat stubble by farmers, even though scientists have told farmers not to do so. Doctors said sudden temperature variation also caused such ailments.
Dr Rajesh Gupta, a private practitioner, said the burning of wheat stubble was the chief cause of respiratory problems. “I receive about 12 such patients everyday at my clinic,” he said. This is the peak harvest time.
Dr Gursharan Singh, president of the district unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said complaints of burning sensation on the nasal lining, frequent sneezing, trouble in breathing, weakness due to breathlessness, cough and mild fever were common symptoms of ailments caused by allergies.
Doctors say that it is unfortunate that most farmers are unaware that the burning of stubble worsens the condition of asthmatic patients and pollutes the environment. Dr Rajesh Mahajan, Lecturer in the Chest Department of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital here, said the number of patients visiting the chest OPD had increased manifold. “We receive upto 15 patients every day in our OPD, most of whom are adults. Regular medication is the only solution to such problems.”
A doctor of Model Town here said the condition of asthmatic patients deteriorated in this period. He also said, “The deterioration happens due to dust, cosmetics, pollution, pollen grains and burning of wheat and paddy stubble.”
Dr Gautam Mittal, a paediatrician, said most common ailments among children due to changing weather were infections of the upper respiratory tract (URT). Children complain of running nose, headache, bodyache, cold, cough and fever. “This is a self-limiting condition, in which, the child is cured within 10 days and requires the intake of only anti-allergic syrup and paracetamol,” he said.
