Health experts havecautioned peopleto stay indoors asmuch as possible,schoolchildrenhave to spendconsiderable timeoutdoors particularlyfor lunch and otheractivities, when thecotton-wrappedpollen pesters themthe most.
|| K.LEADER DESK
The clinics these days arepacked to capacity withparents making beeline towardsthe Paediatricians as infectionamongst the children is witnessing aserious surge.With the failing to remove RussianPoplars from Kashmir valley, the dispersalof cotton seed by them is creatinghavoc with school going childrenbeing the worst hit.Health experts have cautioned peopleto stay indoors as much as possible,schoolchildren have to spend considerabletime outdoors particularly forlunch and other activities, when thecotton-wrapped pollen pesters themthe most.
Hundres of schoolchildren havealready fallen sick, mostly with complaintsof throat infections, cough, irritationin eyes, nose and throat.Health experts said the cotton- likepollen, which resembles snowfall, easilymixes with food. “When you eat inthe open, the pollen obviously mixeswith food and makes swallowing offood difficult,” said a medico at GBPanth Hospital, Valley’s sole pediatrichospital.
Hundres ofschoolchildrenhave already fallensick, mostly withcomplaints of throatinfections, cough,irritation in eyes,nose and throat.
The doctors said there has been arise in complaints of flu and diarrheaamong schoolchildren, who visited thehospital in the past fortnight. “Whatwe generally observed is that suchchildren had been having lunch outdoors,”said the doctor.Besides, he said, spending long timefor morning assembly and sportingactivities at schools were equally responsiblefor increasing the incidenceof infection among the children.Children at the Amira Kadal HigherSecondary School here complainedthat they have to spend around anhour for the morning assembly outdoors,while students and teacherskeep sneezing and coughing, with pollenall around. The same holds true forother schools, including governmentand private institutions, alike.
In May last year, in the wake ofhealth problems being faced by peopledue to poplar pollen, City’s civic bodyhad asked the educational institutionsnot to let children take meals outdoors.The then Health Officer, Dr RubeenaShaheen had issued “dos and don’ts”,which i ncluded: “ Do try to stay indoors when the pollen count is reportedto be high, this is recommendedparticularly for schoolchildren whoare more prone to get allergies.”Making particular mention ofschooling, the Health Officer observed:“They should have their lunchindoors, as cross reaction can occurbetween some foods and aeroallergensand can exaggerate the allergies.”
The medico said the “dos and don’t scan lessen your exposure to the pollensthat trigger allergy symptoms.”“Do minimize early morning activitywhen pollen is usually emitted –between 5-10 AM. Do keep your caror bus windows closed when traveling.Do take medications prescribed byyour doctor regularly if you are proneto allergy, in the recommended dosage,”official had said.But this year, there are no takersof the advisory. “We had humbly appealedthe school authorities to letour children take lunch in their classrooms,but our humanitarian requestwent down the drain,” complained adelegation of parents.Interestingly, many a leading schoolshere have even failed to remove poplartrees from their compounds.
“We have to eat lunch right in the shade of poplartrees as there is no other space toeat,” said a student of a leading Englishmedium school in the City center.A senior official in the Directorateof School Education Kashmir (DSEK)endorsed the public concerns as “genuine”.“We have a meeting at the directoratetoday and we will definitelylook into the matter,” the Chief EducationOfficer Srinagar told KashmirObserver.Last year the state High Court haddirected the divisional administrationto get the pollen-spewing poplarschopped down. But people are yet toget respite.
Health experts said the cotton- like pollen, which resembles snowfall, easily mixes with food. “When you eat in the open, the pollen obviously mixes with food and makes swallowing of food difficult,” said a medico at GB Panth Hospital, Valley’s sole pediatric hospital.
