Hyderabad: Hyderabad scores poorly on the hazards, infrastructure, governance and social development scale and very high on health disorders, said experts speaking at a Round Table conference titled ‘Healthy Hyderabad, Wealthy Telangana.’
Speaking at the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) on Sunday, Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, chief guest at the event, said, “Hyderabad has grown astronomically, from a population of 30 lakh to one crore-plus. Urban facilities need to keep up with the rise in population. There are many doctors in the city but the recent outbreak of dengue, rise in air pollution levels, do come across as red herrings.”
To exemplify his statement, a study conducted by the NITI Aayog which was discussed at the conference noted that Hyderabad has been recording many cases of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
“A new health study across Hyderabad schools revealed disturbing trends on various health disorders among even schoolchildren. One in five children is vulnerable to lifestyle and metabolic diseases. Hyderabad also has the dubious distinction of having the highest child obesity,” it said.
In more disturbing news, at least 20 per cent of the 18,000 children surveyed are at risk.
Certainly, the air quality within the city is not helping this situation. “The air quality values compiled by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) shows that the air quality levels have been dipping across the city” said Karuna Gopal, president, Foundation for Futuristic Cities.
Doctors who were present at the conference echoed this. “There are many diseases linked to pollution. We must work to ensure that pollution is kept at bay before it is too late,” said Dr Saxena, a environmental medical practitioner.
“The only way one can overcome this is by walking. But where do people walk? These kind of environment is called obesogenic, as they discourage physical activity,” said ASCI chairman K. Pad-manabhaiah.
Mr B. Kalyan Chakravarthy, who heads the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute, reportedly left the venue after noticing the jam-packed conference hall.
Union minister of state for home affairs G. Kishan Reddy, who made a sudden visit to the conference, said that the Centre was taking note of all the health epidemics that are taking place.
