Over half of Delhi's college students have respiratory problems: survey

More than half of college students in the national capital are suffering from respiratory problems, a survey conducted in New Delhi between 6 and 11 November has found.

The survey carried out by India Today to assess the harmful effects of high pollution levels in the national capital region has found that around 53 per cent of students were facing respiratory issues while 51 per cent had aggravated symptoms during the five days over which the survey was conducted.

Around 42 per cent students also had lung function impairment and 11 per cent were already using inhalers. A total of 1,044 students in the age group 18 to 24 years participated in the survey conducted by Fortis Healthcare, the report said.

''There was a need to involve the youth in such a study because it makes them aware of how pollution can deter their growth. It makes them more involved in the fight against air pollution,'' The Asian Age quoted Dr Vikas Maurya, senior consultant and head of respiratory medicine and interventional pulmonology department at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, as saying.

Meanwhile, the dense smog that enveloped the national capital for more than a week has forced authorities to enforce emergency measures such as banning construction activities and brick kilns in the National Capital Region.

The government on Saturday scrapped a plan to implement the odd-even scheme after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) declined to exempt women, two-wheelers and government servants from the scheme (See: Delhi backtracks on odd-even scheme after grilling by NGT). 

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who met with Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday also resolved to make "sustained efforts" to check pollution.

A joint statement issued after the meeting, in which state environment ministers and other top officials also participated, stated: "We the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana are happy to have had a very fruitful meeting at Chandigarh today. We recognised our deep and shared concern over the recent episode of heavy smog in our National Capital Region. We agreed upon the need for action on many measures aimed at preventing its re-occurrence in the winter of 2018."