4 in 5 families facing ailments due to polluted air in Delhi: Survey

A survey conducted by a community social media platform LocalCircles has concluded that four in five families in the national capital have someone facing one or more ailments due to the polluted air. Furthermore, about 91 per cent of Delhi residents believe authorities were completely or partially ineffective in enforcing the ban on transportation, distribution and sale of crackers during Diwali.

The survey recorded over 34,000 responses from residents of Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad. 66 per cent of the respondents were men and 34 per cent women.

The survey also posed a question as to the kind of ailments experienced since last week as the air quality dropped to severe levels. "In response, 16 per cent respondents said they were experiencing sore throat or cough or both, another 16 per cent said runny nose, congestion or burning eyes, while 16 per cent said they were facing breathing difficulty," it said. A limited 20 per cent experienced no impact. On an aggregate basis, four in five families in Delhi-NCR are now experiencing one or ailments due to polluted air, the statement said. While 24 per cent of people experienced all the above-mentioned symptoms, eight per cent experienced at least two.

About 22 per cent of respondents revealed that they or someone in their family had visited doctors or hospitals regarding these ailments. 28 per cent of families plan to use air purifiers and 61 per cent anti-pollution masks to cope.