Manoj Kumar
With increased air pollution level there is certainly health impact on human health, it is crucial to estimate the public health relevance of the problem. The public health impact of smoking, environmental tobacco smoke, and air pollution on the prevalence of chronic cough/phlegm were estimated. Health impact assessment studies clearly suggest that public health largely benefits from better air quality. The studies are selective underestimates as they are strongly driven by full quantification of the impact on morbidity and their consequences on quality of life among the diseased and the caregivers. Ludhiana city was identified as critically polluted city by Central Pollution Control Board. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the effects of air pollution on mortality. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ludhiana city of Punjab located in northern India. Air pollution and morbidity data was collected from 2003 to 2004. SPM was measured by Gravimetric method and NOx and SO2 by chemical method. SPM daily average level was attempted by combining 24-hour average of the stations working on a particular day. Levels of SPM were more than permissible limit in Industrial (814.2-559.2 mg/m3) and residential areas (590.2-290.8 mg/m3) as compared to Samrala (358.2-239.7 mg/m3). Levels of NOx (19.1 mg/m3) and SOx (26.2 mg/m3) were under permissible limit in both the towns. In Ludhiana, air pollution level is quite high and is still rising. The air pollution level was high was found to be significantly associated with respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity.