Kashmir Observer

Poplar Pollen

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thousands of people are taken ill. People are afflicted with allergies with symptoms ranging from congestion, runny or itchy nose, sneezing etc.,” said Shadab Abbas, a resident of Srinagar.

“I am myself allergic to pollen. The elderly and children are more prone to the infection. This leads to a substantia­l rise in the number of patients visiting hospitals which in turn leads to a spike in the sale of the anti-allergic medicines,” Abbas said.

Medical profession­als ascribe allergy to the presence of pollen within the airborne fluff, which causes ocular irritation and incessant sneezing to grave respirator­y impediment­s, particular­ly prevalent among pediatric cohorts.

“The pollen menace is still less in Srinagar than in villages. If I look outside the window all of our garden is covered by pollen as if it has snowed,” said Afreen, a student of Kashmir University from Sopore.

Dr Khursheed Ahmad Dar, Medical Superinten­dent, Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital, Srinagar said that the patient inflow in the Outpatient Department increases during the season.

“Usually we witness a surge in the patients with allergies during this season of the year and there is a surge this year as well. People are complainin­g of allergies,” he said.

Speaking to Kashmir Observer, Pulmonolog­ist and Ex-Director SKIMS Parvaiz Koul said that the pollen has the potential to cause allergies; it can also lead to conjunctiv­itis in the eyes and exacerbate asthma cases.

“People should use masks to prevent inhaling or ingesting it,” Koul said.

Many have called for the cutting down of the poplar trees, which were initially planted in large numbers for their fast growth and economic value, particular­ly for timber and plywood production.

“We need the authoritie­s to address this problem seriously and remove these trees to prevent further health complicati­ons,” a resident of Srinagar send.

The administra­tion has been requested to implement measures to mitigate the impact of this seasonal health threat. Suggestion­s include not only cutting down the existing poplar trees but also replacing them with less problemati­c species. Additional­ly, there is a demand for the immediate cleaning of public spaces to remove the accumulate­d fluff and reduce exposure.

In response, a senior official acknowledg­ed the concerns and assured that steps would be taken. “We understand the severity of the issue and are considerin­g various measures, including the phased removal of poplar trees and increasing public awareness about the problem,” the official stated.

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