How Delhi pollution affected Shashank’s health...
For 33-year-old journalist Shashank, shifting to Delhi 12 years ago was a good career move. The dust that hangs over the Capital’s roads, however, gave this young man permanent eye damage. He’s had to almost quit biking, one of his loves. His story:
It has been 12 years since I shifted to the national capital. Having completed my graduation from Kolkata, I shifted base to Delhi in July 2006. And the city became my home.
Sadly, however, the city that gave me a new life and a new perspective also took away part of the vision in my left eye. But then it’s not the city which is to be blamed but its ever-increasing, toxin-rich pollution that left its mark on me in the shape of a permanent scar on the cornea of my left eye.
The problem was first detected two years back when both my eyes began to remain watery and red. I was advised some eye-drops but to no relief. My vision was blurred and I was unable to open my eye in bright light. An advanced scan led to the discovery of two damaged layers in my left eye. Now I permanently wear glasses and have a -2.7 correction in my left eye.
It’s impossible to step outside without sunglasses as my eye is now too sensitive for bright sunlight.
How this problem started is the real shocker. It’s right in front of us but nobody never taken it seriously. If you drive in Delhi, you are well aware of the dust or sand that is encountered on the road, especially Ring Road. These dust particles are the main components of Particulate Matter (PM10) in the immediate environment.
I’m an avid biker, and I have always made sure of using a good quality helmet and other protective gear. The dust was getting through all the time, even though I had started splashing water in my eyes as a rule after every ride.
Rubbing my eyes, a spontaneous reaction, made the situation worse. Over a period of time, I developed a permanent scar in one eye, and there it will remain for life.
I have to be a part of this city — my family, friends and career are here. So I wear glasses all the time and have cut down on biking.
Delhi’s pollution is silently killing us all every day and it’s high time we sit up, take note and act. more
It has been 12 years since I shifted to the national capital. Having completed my graduation from Kolkata, I shifted base to Delhi in July 2006. And the city became my home.
Sadly, however, the city that gave me a new life and a new perspective also took away part of the vision in my left eye. But then it’s not the city which is to be blamed but its ever-increasing, toxin-rich pollution that left its mark on me in the shape of a permanent scar on the cornea of my left eye.
The problem was first detected two years back when both my eyes began to remain watery and red. I was advised some eye-drops but to no relief. My vision was blurred and I was unable to open my eye in bright light. An advanced scan led to the discovery of two damaged layers in my left eye. Now I permanently wear glasses and have a -2.7 correction in my left eye.
It’s impossible to step outside without sunglasses as my eye is now too sensitive for bright sunlight.
How this problem started is the real shocker. It’s right in front of us but nobody never taken it seriously. If you drive in Delhi, you are well aware of the dust or sand that is encountered on the road, especially Ring Road. These dust particles are the main components of Particulate Matter (PM10) in the immediate environment.
I’m an avid biker, and I have always made sure of using a good quality helmet and other protective gear. The dust was getting through all the time, even though I had started splashing water in my eyes as a rule after every ride.
Rubbing my eyes, a spontaneous reaction, made the situation worse. Over a period of time, I developed a permanent scar in one eye, and there it will remain for life.
I have to be a part of this city — my family, friends and career are here. So I wear glasses all the time and have cut down on biking.
Delhi’s pollution is silently killing us all every day and it’s high time we sit up, take note and act. more
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It is right that each and every big city has its own set of problems but the irony is that no solution is in sight instead the problem is getting worst day by day. Here comes the role of Govt to see that people should not run towards big cities to get employment and jobs.If we continue in this way i am sure living in Delhi will become a torture. Now the govt should think an out of box solution to this problem like allowing only the Home Ministry offices to function from Delhi apart from other Delhi Govt offices. and should ensure that Delhi should not become HUB for everything starting from business, trade, Medical treatment , Education ect. If the present trend continues then nothing can save Delhi from becoming a hell no matter how much infra structure you develop there will always be bottleneck. The solution is to diversify. Delhi already has seen a hell of unauthorized construction and encroachment of public land which can not be expected in any capital city.Every body has including building mafia has exploited Delhi to their full advantage. It has reached a point that no instruction even at level of suprem court can change the fate of Delhi. more
Jun 19
ONLY A DETERMINED GOVT. ALONG WITH THE SUPPORT OF CITIZENS CAN TACKLE THE PROBLEM.
AT ONE TIME TOKYO THE CAPITAL CITY OF JAPAN USED TO HAVE BIG TRAFFIC JAMS AND A DENSE FOG IN THE AIR. BUT TODAY TOKYO ENVIRONMENT IS MUCH BETTER . THERE IS NO YEAR LONG FOG. AIR IS MUCH CLEANER AND THERE ARE HARDLY ANY TRAFFIC JAMS. TO DO THIS GOVERNMENT, CITI COUNCILS, AND EVERY CITIZEN HAS CONTRIBUTED A LOT. GOVT HAS PROVIDED ALTERNATE TRANSPORT MEANS. WITH THE METRO RUNNING IN MULTI LAYERS, ONE CAN REACH ANY PART OF TOKYO. END MILE CAN BE COVERED BY CHEAP TAXIS/BUSES. THEY HAVE REDESIGNED ROADS AND EVEN COME UP WITH ELEVATED EXPRESSWAYS AND BYPASSES.
NO CITIZEN IS FOUND POLLUTING THE CITY ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE FINES AND A STRONG SOCIAL STIGMA ATTACHED TO THE CULPRITS.
TRESS IS GIVEN TO PLANTATION AND GREENERY. EVEN TREES ARE UPROOTED AND REPLANTED IN CITY WITH SUPPORTS.
THE SIZE OF TOKYO CITY IS EQUAL TO AT LEAST TEN DELHIS AND ONE TENTH OF JAPANS POPULATION LIVES IN OR AROUND TOKYO, IT BEING THE ONLY PLAIN STRETCH OF LAND WITH JOB AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
CHINA HAS ALSO DEALT THE POLLUTION PROBLEM. WE CAN ALSO DO IT ONCE THE GOVERNMENT IS SERIOUS AND PEOPLE ARE AWARE. more
AT ONE TIME TOKYO THE CAPITAL CITY OF JAPAN USED TO HAVE BIG TRAFFIC JAMS AND A DENSE FOG IN THE AIR. BUT TODAY TOKYO ENVIRONMENT IS MUCH BETTER . THERE IS NO YEAR LONG FOG. AIR IS MUCH CLEANER AND THERE ARE HARDLY ANY TRAFFIC JAMS. TO DO THIS GOVERNMENT, CITI COUNCILS, AND EVERY CITIZEN HAS CONTRIBUTED A LOT. GOVT HAS PROVIDED ALTERNATE TRANSPORT MEANS. WITH THE METRO RUNNING IN MULTI LAYERS, ONE CAN REACH ANY PART OF TOKYO. END MILE CAN BE COVERED BY CHEAP TAXIS/BUSES. THEY HAVE REDESIGNED ROADS AND EVEN COME UP WITH ELEVATED EXPRESSWAYS AND BYPASSES.
NO CITIZEN IS FOUND POLLUTING THE CITY ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE FINES AND A STRONG SOCIAL STIGMA ATTACHED TO THE CULPRITS.
TRESS IS GIVEN TO PLANTATION AND GREENERY. EVEN TREES ARE UPROOTED AND REPLANTED IN CITY WITH SUPPORTS.
THE SIZE OF TOKYO CITY IS EQUAL TO AT LEAST TEN DELHIS AND ONE TENTH OF JAPANS POPULATION LIVES IN OR AROUND TOKYO, IT BEING THE ONLY PLAIN STRETCH OF LAND WITH JOB AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
CHINA HAS ALSO DEALT THE POLLUTION PROBLEM. WE CAN ALSO DO IT ONCE THE GOVERNMENT IS SERIOUS AND PEOPLE ARE AWARE. more
Jun 19
HE SHOULD TO TO PATANJALI NATUROPATHY CENTRE IN HARIDWAR. I AM SURE A FEW DAYS TREATMENT THERE WILL GIVE HIM LOT OF RELIEF. more
Jun 19
Delhi is not a good place to live. If you are earning half of what you can earn in Delhi do not come here. more
Jun 19
Sir, people come to Delhi or any other large City mainly out of Practical Needs only as they offer lots of Oppurtunities !!
Every city has it's problems : Bangalore/Chennai have Water Scarcity, Mumbai/Chennai are very Humid, Kolkata is very Congested, etc. That doesn't mean they should not go there !!
Also Sir, I beg to differ with your notion that 'Delhi is not a good place to live.' .... more
Every city has it's problems : Bangalore/Chennai have Water Scarcity, Mumbai/Chennai are very Humid, Kolkata is very Congested, etc. That doesn't mean they should not go there !!
Also Sir, I beg to differ with your notion that 'Delhi is not a good place to live.' .... more
Jun 19
Moondra Sahab, Why out of Delhi only .. All should go to the US or Europe if you can !! more
Jun 19
Dear Sir/Madam Please note our Email ID have changed. Please write to the new mail id sanket@spectra-vision.com Regards, Sanket more
Jun 18
Sad to know and hope you can improve your eyes with some alternate treatment. Not just pollution, but so many other basic problems (like traffic conditions, toxic water, shortage of bijli, pani, etc) are increasing day-by-day. But seems no political party or bureaucrat is thinking of the future and taking these things seriously. At this rate, it is scary to think what life will be just a few years from now. more
Jun 18
