Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, May 30: Despite High Court directions for felling of female species of Russian poplars that cause widespread pollen allergy in Kashmir, the authorities are unmoved leading suffering of people.
The doctors say that pollen allergy cases are pouring in as the seasonal health hazard continues in Kashmir.
Doctors who are attending to such patients at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital and Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura say that an increase in the cases of patients-who are getting affected by the pollen-is being witnessed during the season of spring which is currently on.
Dr. Manzoor Ahmad Latoo, Associate Professor ENT, Govt Medical College (GMC), Srinagar told Excelsior that there is an increase in the number of people getting affected by the pollens. “The allergies are there as there are so many allergens around, but in this season it aggravates altogether given the allergic nature of the pollens,” he said.
Doctors at SKIMS are also vouching to the fact that such cases do witness an increase from March to April, however, this time due to frequent rains it extended till May. “It used to continue till April, but this time it was extended and we are receiving such patients even in May,” said Dr. Sayed Mudasir Qadri, Consultant Medicine, SKIMS.
He, however, was of a different opinion with regard to allergy caused due to pollen, and said: “The pollens are having more of a nuisance value rather than that of causing allergy.” He also suggested an effective plan of phasing out pollen-producing popular trees and replacing it with indigenous Kashmiri popular.
Pertinently, in 2015, the seasonal health hazard also invited the attention of the High Court which had in May, the same year, directed for an immediate ban on the plantation and trade of pollen-producing exotic varieties of poplar trees across Kashmir, particularly the Russian poplar.
Furthermore, while the pollens are causing allergies to people ranging from infants to that of adults. Pediatrician, Dr. Suhail Naik told Excelsior that due to increased cases of allergies during this season, the doctors are prescribing anti-allergic drugs that are causing drug burden, apart from other losses.
“Increased incidents of allergies are leading to the highest quantity of anti-allergic being prescribed, which is leading to something called Drug burden. The pollens are causing damage on several fronts, while they are taking a toll on the health of an individual; they are also affecting other aspects of one’s life. In case of school going children, increased incidents of allergies are responsible for the loss of school days,” Dr. Naik said.
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