Health Risks Rise as Mercury Falls
Special care for the elderly and children below 5 is advised
Bhopal
The state capital witnessed a significant drop in temperatures over the last 24 hours amid an intensifying cold wave in the northern parts of the country.
The city streets wore a deserted look on Monday night as biting cold pushed people indoors, resulting in fewer footfalls at post-midnight haunts in the old city.
The chill points towards an erosion of the effects of Cyclone Fengal, which had sent the mercury soaring over the last two weeks.
The drop in the mercury, which registered a minimum of 7.8°C, adds to the woes of the homeless, who are having to brave the worsening cold due to a Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) ban on Alaavs, or community bonfires, this year.
The civic body discontinued the distribution of free firewood to the poor this year in the face of rising concentrations of contaminants in the city air.
Many in the city are suffering from cold and pollution-related allergies, especially in areas with heavy construction activity.
Medical practitioners have advised residents to use masks and take other precautions to avoid pollution- and cold-related health issues.
The district administration has also released health advisories for those with underlying cardiological and respiratory disorders.
Special care for children below the age of five is also advised, as a drop in mercury and heightened dryness in the environment result in a rise in stagnating toxins in breathable air.
