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Toxic foam from lakes can harm you for life
When snowy froth raised its ugly head from the Ramakrishnapuram Lake a few days ago, it sent locals into a tizzy. Already under threat from ever-increasing pollution, the residents living around the lake have been complaining of skin problems.
Hyderabad: When snowy froth raised its ugly head from the Ramakrishnapuram Lake a few days ago, it sent locals into a tizzy. Already under threat from ever-increasing pollution, the residents living around the lake have been complaining of skin problems.
Though the situation is not so severe like the one in Bengaluru, where the froth spilled onto the roads blocking traffic, the day is not far In Hyderabad if steps are not taken, says Dr Subba Rao, an activist who has written several books on pollution and how to treat water bodies. Once skin problems surface, they take ages to be cured and the cocktail of chemicals and sewage are a potent combination to cause irritation and skin problems.
Dermatologist Dr Ram Mohan says, “Persistent organic pollutants that include industrial chemicals and agricultural pesticides can cause serious damage. People who consume fish from these lakes are bound to get skin rashes.”
Automobile service centres are major pollutants as the oil, soap and water that is used to get into the lakes and pollutes water. The Delhi High Court order in 2000 directed the shifting of all small-scale industries and stopped a Mercedes Benz service centre from operation after many residents fell ill.
There is no regulation on the manufacture of detergents in India and there is no standards and rules for manufacturers, says Dr Subba Rao. Activist Radhika says, “The Pollution Control Board only analyses dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). They are not considering bacterial indicators except faecal matter.”
Apart from skin problems, lake pollution can lead to the collapse of human body as it could affect different parts, says Dr Raghu, a private practitioner. Once bacteria set in the digestive system it could lead to multiple problems, he adds.
Activists in the city say that polluted lakes have an adverse impact on the people but there are no studies taken up on a big scale. Polluted lakes could lead to leptospirosis, an infectious disease that damages the liver and kidneys.
