JOIN USDeepavali is a festival of joy and celebration for many. But for a certain section of people, it can be quite a pain. Bangalore is not just popular as the IT capital of India — it is also known to have a large number of patients suffering from asthma and bronchitis.
And during Deepavali, the smoke emitted from crackers can make things quite inconvenient for them. Metrolife speaks to a few such people to understand their plight.
Rajeshwari, a homemaker who suffers from asthma, says, “Every year, during Deepavali, I literally feel like I am not going to survive. It starts from the first day of the festival and goes on till Tulsi Puja. I shut the door and all the windows and sit inside the house. Even then, I cannot escape from suffering. The nights are a terrible experience — the attacks are so severe that I keep waiting for the morning to consult a doctor and get medication.
During previous years, the attacks were so strong that my husband had to get me admitted to the hospital three times at midnight. Bangalore has a lot of asthma patients; the government should seriously consider this problem and take some steps to help them.”
Asthma is not a problem that haunts only the elderly; even children suffer from it. Prithviraj, an eight-year-old boy, says, “During Deepavali, I have a lot of breathing problems. I cannot inhale the heavy smoke generated from crackers. I have been taken to the hospital many times. However, I cannot blame others because I myself want to burst crackers.”
Uday Krishna, an IT professional, adds, “The problem of asthma runs in our family — my grandfather had it and it got transferred to me. During Deepavali, the problem is aggravated and it becomes very tough. An asthma patient, at that time, cannot even walk 20 metres. It is important that we become sensitive to such patients. And more importantly, asthma patients have to take care of themselves. They should cover their nose with a cloth, and preferably remain inside the house.”
Dr Nagendra, a physician, adds, “During Deepavali, the number of asthma patients
increases by five times. People who have bronchitis catch asthma and those already
suffering from it are more prone to attacks. Though there is no escape from it, I
advise all asthma and bronchitis patients to stay indoors.”