Stay alert, poor AQI-low sunlight combo may take a toll on your health: Experts
Times of India | 4 February 2025
Kolkata: The start to Feb saw dramatic fluctuations in the city's air quality, with cloud cover playing a significant role in reducing vertical wind speed, leading to AQI spikes, while moisture incursion helped mitigate the impact.
High wind speed quickly improved air quality from poor to moderate (AQI: 101-200) on Jan 31 and then to satisfactory (AQI: 51-100) by Feb 1. However, sustained cloud cover reduced vertical wind speed, weakening dispersal mechanisms and causing most zones to swing back from satisfactory to moderate on Feb 2.
By Monday, air quality in Ballygunge and Jadavpur deteriorated to ‘poor' (AQI: 201-300), while Fort William and Victoria were edging closer to poor levels. The presence of moisture in the air, however, acted as a natural filter, causing smaller particulate matter to merge into larger particles that eventually settled on the ground, according to a WBPCB official.
"AQI fluctuations, along with temperature changes, significantly impact individuals prone to allergies, causing nasal congestion, colds, coughs and even fever-like symptoms. Senior citizens should avoid early morning walks when fog is dense, refrain from drinking cold water and avoid removing warm blankets or switching on the AC due to sudden warmth," advised Arindam Biswas, an internal medicine specialist at RG Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences.
"The health impact of these AQI fluctuations is equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes per day, leading to an alarming rise in lung disease, respiratory issues, heart attacks and strokes among young people. We are witnessing an unprecedented increase in paediatric hospital admissions due to respiratory distress, requiring nebulisers and oxygen therapy," said Sanjukta Dutta, consultant emergency medicine at Fortis Hospital, Anandapur.
"Fluctuating AQI is no longer just an environmental issue — it is a public health crisis contributing to respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and even neurological disorders. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable, with rising cases of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and cardiovascular complications directly linked to poor air quality," added pulmonologist Arup Halder of CMRI Hospital.