4.5. Air Pollution and Health

Medical climatology studies the relationship between human health and climate or weather. Some of the local winds like the loo, cold wave etc are said to be the causes of irritability, depression, dizziness and hypertension. High concentration of pollens in air (such as in Bangalore) causes breathing problems to some people. For instance, local Bangalore government put ban on planting flowering saplings in its parks for certain period of the year to reduce the concentration of pollens in air.

All the cities are discharging huge quantity of pollutants into the atmosphere. These pollutants convert into acids through chemical reactions and fall as ‘acid rain’ with rainwater. Study of the atmospheric percentage of these chemical helps in regulating the industries. For instance, vehicular traffic and industry is banned in surrounding of Taj Mahal, Agra. Acid rain is also harmful for plant and marine life.

forests to meet diverse needs and values.

Certain diseases are, indeed, associated with certain climates or with a particular season. Cold season controls the insects’ population by forcing hibernation. That’s the reason tropical diseases such as Dengue and Malaria etc. are prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. There are certain diseases which are closely associated with seasons. Pneumonia, influenza, measles etc can be cited as examples here. Such close association of diseases with season or climate helps in issuing warnings to people or taking other measures by the government to reduce the impact of same. Municipal bodies in cities of South Asia ensure that water is not logged in parts of cities during monsoon seasons to avoid Malaria and other vector born diseases.