Pollution makes air-borne NCC cadets sick

LUDHIANA: Pollution is sickening. Cadets of 1 HP Air Squadron NCC, Kullu, while practising here on Wednesday for a flying competition complained about nausea, giddiness and irritation in eyes.
They blamed this nauseating experience on toxic pollutants secreted into air by industrial units in the city. The flying competition is part of Vayu Sainik Camp to be held at Bangalore in October.
The cadets hit upon this "discovery" when they were flying the microlite aircrafts, which are "non-pressurised and non-air conditioned" like aircrafts used by flying clubs.
Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) authorities, however, dismissed the charge, saying these cadets must be suffering from "some food problem."
"As such no toxic gases are emitted into atmosphere by any of industrial units which could pose any problem at the flying height," said PPCB member secretary Malwinder Singh.
But the NCC cadets insisted that air pollution was indeed the trigger for their suffering.
Moreover, this is not the first time it has happened. Cadet Sunil Dutt Sharma told Times News Network at Sahnewal Airport that they have been experiencing flying hazards for quite some time due to pollution.
"We cannot concentrate on flying due to extremely suffocating smell and are forced to land," said Reeta Handa, another cadet who had a similar experience last month also when a cadet even vomitted inside the aircraft.
Commanding officer, 4 Punjab Air Squadron NCC, Squadron Leader PP Singh, who has over three years'' experience of flying over Ludhiana, corroborated the cadets'' trauma.
"My own cadets have also been through this experience," he said.
The thickness of smoke cloud reaches up to 300 feet, added Singh, who had brought the matter to the notice of the PPCB through a letter written about three months ago.
But there has been no response so far, he added.
Grey And Black: Two Layers Of Smoke
PPCB member secretary Malwinder Singh explained that layers of smoke are clearly visible when the air is still.
The first one is of black colour containing heavy halfburnt carbon particles. Above this is the second layer of grey colour containing the burnt ones.
It comes up over the industrial area and start expanding, eventually surrounding the city. It does not allow the heat to dissipate into the atmosphere, thus increasing the temperature.
"Since this affects visibility, so we need wind to blow away the polluted smoke cloud," he said.
The problem is more prominent during pre-monsoon months of May, June and July. In December and January, it causes smog causing flying hazards.