Maharashtra health department issues advisory to tackle deteriorating air quality in Mumbai

In view of the worsening air quality in several cities, the Maharashtra health department released a guidance on Monday, urging individuals to refrain from engaging in outdoor morning and late evening activities such as walking, running, jogging, and physical exercise when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches the poor to severe range.

The state health department reported that sentinel surveillance has linked acute illnesses to air pollution in 17 cities throughout the state. The department also emphasized that individuals at higher risk, such as children under the age of five, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, are particularly vulnerable to these health effects.

Patients with underlying medical conditions such as chronic pulmonary or cardiovascular problems should be more careful in order to avoid exposure to air pollution, it added. As per the SAFAR air monitoring system of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the Air Quality Index was moderate, it said.

The advisory said those with poor nutritional status and poor housing conditions, those using fossil fuels for cooking, heating and lighting purposes are at high risk, and so are those with prolonged exposure such as traffic policemen, traffic volunteers, construction workers, road sweepers, rickshaw pullers, auto-rickshaw drivers, roadside vendors etc.

On days with poor to severe AQI, avoid outdoor morning and late evening walks, run, jog and physical exercise. Do not open external doors and windows during morning and late evening hours. May ventilate if necessary between 12noon to 4pm.  It has also asked for the identification of hot spots by AQI levels and density of vulnerable population and ensuring adequate access for them to essential health care services.