[1]Kochi: The pollution in the industrial belt of Eloor-Edayar is impacting on its population with four major non-communicable diseases claiming as many as 110 deaths in Kadungallur grama panchayat in just 10 months up to October 2012.
The Pathalam bund in Periyar is located in Kadungallur and 85 chemical industries are also situated above the bund. The KWA Muppathadam pump house in the Periyar which supplies drinking water to one lakh popupation in Alangad, Karumaloor and Kadungallur panchayats, is also situated in Kadungallur panchayat.
The number of reported deaths related to heart ailments in the last 10 months came up to 48 while asthma and bronchitis claimed 49. Cancer deaths stood at 11 and one person died of kidney disease.
These figures were revealed in a reply by the Kadungallur panchayat to an RTI query by the Association of Environmental Protection secretary N. Ramachandran.
In reply to another RTI query, the Eloor municipality reported 199 cardiac -related deaths in four years while asthma related deaths stood at 115, cancer deaths at 42 and those from kidney at 12.
The Karumalur panchayat said that it had no records for the past three years as it was not mandatory to keep them. Asthma-bronchitis related deaths were reported to be high in this area. The nearby Varapuzha panchayat, surrounded by saline water, recorded high incidence of kidney and skin diseases with 1,530 and 4,933 patients respectively, seeking treatment for these diseases.
“No official survey is being taken in these areas about pollution-induced diseases and deaths. It’s highly important to have such a monitoring”, said Ramachandran.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/air-pollutionjpg-060