Inhaling toxic chemicals: Why the Bharat Bandh is injurious to the common man’s health

Bengaluru, Sep 10: Indian National Congress has launched its protest against the Modi Government, saying that centre has failed in controlling fuel price hike and the weakening rupee. The protest started from Rajghat after tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi.

Now here is a scary fact. Did you know that the nation wide bandh is compelling the common man to inhale toxic chemicals which also includes cyanide.

Yes! If you want to see this, just open your doors and go out on the streets. You will find plenty of tyres being burning on the roads. Just think about the chemicals released in the dark, thick smoke.

Here is the list of chemicals:

1. Cyanide
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Sulfur dioxide
4. Products of butadiene and styrene.

Here are the effects of these chemicals on the environment as well as on living beings, including humans.

1. Cyanide:

This a highly toxic and highly volatile liquid. inhaling cyanide means high risk for lungs and heart. Tissues that depend highly on aerobic respiration, such as the central nervous system and the heart, are particularly affected.

2. Carbon monoxide:

This is the most fatal air poison. When it combines with haemoglobin, it produces carboxyhemoglobin, which seizes the space in haemoglobin which carries oxygen. Finally, it affects the delivery of oxygen to bodily tissues. This results in a headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of weakness. Infants may be irritable and feed poorly. Exposures to carbon monoxide may cause significant damage to the heart and central nervous system. Pregnant women must not go out during such conditions because the poisonous gas may have severe adverse effects on the fetus.

3. Sulphur Dioxide:

Inhaling sulfur dioxide is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease, difficulty in breathing, and premature death. So this is also another reason why pregnant women should not go out during bandh.

4. Products of Butadiene and Styrene:

The products of butadiene and styrene are extremely toxic and can prove fatal even in small doses. These products do not kill, but they can cause serious injury to our vital organs. If these products stored in living tissues it can increase the risk for biological damage. Mainly styrene cause major effects which could results in damaging the nervous system and pancreatic cancer.

What Scientist says:

Talking to Oneindia.com, Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist and former scientist of Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, said, "This is very unfortunate for the nation. On one side government is doing huge efforts to reduce the carbon emission, where are protestors burning tyres resulting in the emission of poisonous gasses. Burning tyre not only omits carbon monoxide, Sulphur oxides, but Oxides of Nitrogen also. That chemical is also very hazardous. I request people not to go for such protest."

So, tell us, still you support Bharat Bandh? Leave your comment in the comment box.