India’s Silicon Valley encounters hazardous Air Pollution

Bangalore is known as the "Garden City of India" because of the presence of many famous public parks such as Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park. Once upon a time, walkers in the city used to enjoy fresh air during their morning and evening walks. Today, a majority of them are forced to exercise indoors. It has ranked second in the list of the most polluted cities in India. Rapid industrialization, changing landscape, construction activities and a surge in the number of vehicles are attributes that are responsible for the rising levels of air pollution in the city.

With the development, the number of vehicles plying is also on the rise. A recent independent study shows that the breathable pollution level is much higher especially during peak traffic hours. Emissions from vehicular pollution contributes maximum to air pollution in Bangalore. Also, the pollutants and toxins released by vehicles with diesel engines are highly dangerous.

Bangalore is also impacted by the inadequate urban governance causing issues such as unscientific disposal of waste and usage of diesel generators for electricity. A study conducted by Urban Emissions shows that Bangalore’s pollution levels are at three times WHO’s safety limit.

Another characteristic feature of air pollution in Bangalore is the presence of suspended road dust. This is due to the city witnessing large scale construction which in turn leads to an increase in allergic diseases caused by pollutants released into the air.

September to April is the high allergy season in Bangalore and a lot of residents tend to suffer from acute breathing allergies, asthma, wheezing and constant runny nose during this time due to high pollen concentration.

Improving Bangalore’s air must become a priority. While the government has plans to create an enabling environment for course correction to combat air pollution, there is a long time to go for that plan to become operative. So what is the immediate solution to avoid the hazardous polluted air?

Face masks as an option, are too uncomfortable to wear and aren’t a permanent solution. One has to keep removing the mask while talking on the phone and for women, all their make-up gets smudged under that mask. Another one being air purifiers which are quite expensive and also, they are not going to eliminate your exposure to pollution completely as they are limited to the space in which they are installed. You will still be required to step outdoors to places that don’t have the purifiers. What air purifiers will do is that they will cut down your exposure to pollution and in the times when you do need to be out, your body will not know how to react to the adverse exposure, thus leading to losing resistance.

The perfect solution to fight air pollution and a much healthier alternative to face masks are nasal filters which are a newer and a more beneficial option available today to keep the polluted air at bay. A nasal filter works as an invisible face mask which filters the air one inhales preventing certain impurities from entering our bodies and ensuring that the pollutants get caught in the filter. It supplies clean air and prevents exposure to even the worst air pollution, like that found in dangerous work settings.

By choosing to wear a nasal filter, you will not only be protected from pollution but it will also keep dust and pollen allergies away, all the while promoting healthy Nasal Breathing.