There is no doubt in it that the menacing influence of pollution and its gradual expansion is casting a shadow of anxiety among the human population in different parts of the world. The position of India among them is noteworthy, thanks to the escalation of contamination in the length and breadth of India. But even these known threats were not so severe in compare to a startling report published in the recent days!
To a new study report the inhabitants of New Delhi are on the verge of a disaster since dust particles present in households contain a high presence of lead. It is to be noted that lead, by nature, is a toxic heavy metal and has ample competence to expose people to severe health risks that includes the erosion of IQ. However, of them the children are the most vulnerable.
This revelation came out in the recent days due to a mammoth study called “Dusty Toxics” under the auspices of an NGO Toxics Link. The key researchers of the study scrutinized dust from a sample-size of 57 households across the Capital and concluded that all of them were containing lead in high proportions. But this is not all! Among these 57 lead in 26 per cent of the samples was higher than the permissible limits in the US. Well, in India till now there is no such approved limit regarding the presence of lead in household dust.
Speaking on this Dr Abhay Kumar, lead researcher at the NGO said, “No amount of lead is safe. It is a chief ingredient in paints. Paint chipping off from walls or any other item could result in lead in household dust.” “Thirty-one per cent of samples from floors and 14 per cent from windowsills had lead in quantities, considered hazardous by US standards,” he added.
The investigated households were from six parts in Delhi including north, south, southwest, west, east and central. This indicates each and every part is badly affected by this scar.
On the other hand, to the estimation of experts, children were at a graver risk from lead poisoning due to their higher rate of metabolism than adults. To the consideration of Dr Arvind Taneja, Director of pediatrics at Max Healthcare lead affects both of central nervous system and IQ substantially. For instance, for each microgramme of lead exposure to the body there is the decrease of IQ by 5 per cent. What is more this gives rise to the attack of anaemia, decrease in hemoglobin synthesis, along with general cognitive and behavioral disorders.
Whatever it is, it is true that the residents of New Delhi are slowly advancing towards a dreadful eventuality if the present situation continues. Who can save them from this? The concerned Indian authorities who prefer to live in a slumber or those who have to await the direction from concerned ministry.
Only a general awareness at this juncture can redeem hapless citizens.
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