Asthma alarm for Chhattisgarh's industrial towns

Asthma, allergy cases had been on rise in the industrial towns of Raigarh and Korba districts in the mineral-rich Chhattisgarh state.

Though there is no statistics or data available with the government and non-government agencies, pulmonologists attending patients in Chhattisgarh have underlined that cases has been constantly increasing in both the towns. "The increasing Asthma and allergy cases are assuming alarming proportion and is turning out to be epidemic," Dr Rabindra Panda, head of the department (Tuberculosis and Chest) with Raipur Medical College, said.

Of the patients coming for diagnosis in the hospital every day, two or three are from Raigarh and Korba; carrying the symptoms of Asthma and allergy, Dr Panda added. Industrial pollution is one of the reasons for Asthma and the increasing prevalence rate in the state's industrial town could be because of it, he added.

Known as the industrial destination of Chhattisgarh, Raigarh has many steel and power plants. Raigarh district is industrially developed. There are 35 large scale industries and eight medium scale enterprises in the district.