Breathless Pune: Part 4-‘Eyes start to water’; air pollution on roads choking traffic cops, gig workers

Pollution levels increase in cities across the country in the winter season, and Pune is no exception. Various automatic weather stations across the city consistently recorded AQI in the “moderate” category over the past month, indicating a higher health risk. However, these measurements might not cover the full risk that people in on-road occupations face.

Sharmila Deo, senior programme associate at NGO Parisar, said air quality monitoring systems measure ambient air quality, which is measured over a larger area. However, pollutants on specific road locations can vary considerably. “That’s the local air quality and can be quite different from the ambient measurements. Also, the monitoring stations are often placed away from direct pollution sources, and at certain prescribed heights which do not capture the localised pollution,” she said.

In December 2021 the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) published its ‘Draft Report: Air Quality Assessment, Emission Inventory & Source Apportionment Study for Pune City’ where it deduced that rapid urbanisation, vehicular emissions, and construction activities were the main contributors to deteriorating air quality. It also said, “Over the years, the total number of vehicles on Pune roads has increased with almost 10% annual growth in vehicular traffic. In Pune city around 2 lakh vehicles are added to the traffic every year. Two-wheelers are the major mode of transport in the city, with 73% of motorised vehicles being Motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. The number of vehicle registrations have also increased considerably over the years. Such large number of vehicles within a city’s limits contribute to emission levels to a large extent.”

In 2015, eye examinations of 380 police personnel found that the majority of them suffered from ocular surface disorders like redness, irritation and dry eye. A 2021 survey by Parisar of over 100 traffic police personnel showed half of them do not check air quality at all, highlighting that awareness about the issue was still lacking.

Manoj Patil, Additional Commissioner of Police, Pune, told The Indian Express that attempts to enforce mask wearing among traffic police personnel has failed in the past. “We have given out masks in the past, but the personnel do not wear them. They give reasons like they have to use their whistles, etc. There is an inertia in our force. We are trying to convince our people to understand the benefits of masks. Earlier, masks used to be expensive, but now they are quite cheap so there is no problem on that front.”

Researchers from Kolkata’s Asutosh College and IIT Delhi analysed air quality data from 2019-2023 and surveyed over 100 policemen in Kolkata. They concluded that “A significant occupational health issue among traffic police personnel was observed due to long-term exposure to ambient air pollution.” Published in MDPI Air in 2024, the study noted a high prevalence of throat irritation, running nose, sinusitis, sneezing, nasal congestion, and coughing among the surveyed cops.

Gig workers not spared too
Just like traffic police, gig workers too face problems due to the air pollution. Anand Jadhav, an app-based cab driver, said that in the cold Pune winters, the air conditioning is usually off and windows are rolled down. Fresh air enters his car through the window along with all its pollutants. “I have been driving cabs for the last 8 years but I have noticed that in the last two-three years, the pollution has increased. I am sure it will have some negative health effects on me in the future.”

Two gig-workers working for a popular quick commerce app said they had not focused much on pollution levels and that they hadn’t been warned by the apps they work for to take precautions. Medical experts warn that this is dangerous in the long run.

What doctors advise
Dr Sneha Tirpude, consulting pulmonologist at Ruby Hall Clinic and Lopmudra Hospital, said “Outdoor air pollution affects people in the form of noxious particles getting deposited in the lungs. People who are exposed on a daily basis can develop a long-term respiratory health problem in the form of obstruction of the airway like COPD. They might not have a problem immediately but over a period of time, they will have pulmonary issues. However indoor exposure will not cause people to develop COPD or something like that.”

She recommends the use of masks for people in such occupations. “And these are masks not limited to N95 or N99 that we know from our viral infections but also masks with HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters. These have to be regularly changed must fit properly as there are different sizes.” she added. It is the primary responsibility of employers in these fields to ensure that such masks are provided to their workers, she said.