Date | Jul 08, 2018:
Indian Association of Occupational health (IAOH), Coalfield Branch, organized Occupational Health Day at Dhanbad Club on Sunday, 8th July, 2018.
The event was attended by principal of Patliputra Medical College and Hospital Kameshwar Biswas, principal of Palamau Medical College and Hospital S.K. Singh, state president of Indian Medical Association (IMA) A.K. Singh, president of the Dhanbad unit of IMA V.K. Singh and its secretary Sushil Kumar.
Dr. Rajshekhar Singh, principal scientist and associate professor of the environment management department of the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) delivered a seminar on "Air Pollution & Health in Coal Mining Areas".
According to Dr. Rajshekhar Singh particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) levels ranging from 100-200 microgram per cubic metre around different mines exceeded the safe limits of 60 microgram per cubic metre Central Pollution Control Board while PM10 levels hovered at 200-375 microgram per cubic metre against the prescribed 100 per microgram per cubic metre.
Elaborating more about the ill-effects of coal dust pollution, Singh said particulate matter less than 2.5 microns causes respiratory tract infection in people living close to mining areas and make them more susceptible to bronchitis and tuberculosis.
"The smaller coal dust particles are also trapped by the alveoli of the lungs and get absorbed into the blood, increasing the risk of cancer," Singh said.
He cited as an example the medical report of one of his CIMFR colleagues, who has been advised to stay away from polluted areas during his treatment for respiratory tract infection at Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore.
"This proves that even places such as CIMFR that are located far away from the coal mines and are lush with vegetation are affected by air pollution," Singh said.
Advising mine workers to use to masks to lessen the impact of coal dust on their health, he said the masks should be replaced periodically as pores get blocked by finer dust particles.
(Source: https://www.telegraphindia.com/)