Kolhapur residents suffer health issues as dust pollution rises after rain recedes

Time of India

a day ago

Kolhapur: Residents are facing significant hardship due to dust while commuting on roads since the showers have receded. The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation repaired potholes by filling them with murum, but as the rain has subsided, large amounts of dust have been blowing in the air on almost all city roads.
The number of people suffering from headaches, itchy eyes, and sore throats has also increased drastically.
In Feb this year, the civic body purchased a multipurpose sprinkler tanker worth Rs 1.5 crore, and people are questioning the current whereabouts of this sprinkler.
Satish Yadav, a resident of Budhwar Peth, said, "Due to the poor condition of roads, the ongoing works at CPR Hospital and at the old district court premises, a large amount of dust is blowing in the air. KMC installed mist fountains, mechanical air filtration units, and a water tanker sprinkler to reduce dust. Where are they? Why are the mist fountains not operating?"
Every year, roads in the city are constructed using crores of rupees, but not a single road is built with quality and according to road standards.
Poor and incomplete road works are taking a heavy toll on the city, especially on two-wheelers and pedestrians. Large amounts of dust fly on the roads after heavy vehicles like trucks or buses pass by. Commuters behind those vehicles cannot stop breathing, nor can they breathe properly.
Manisha Chavan, a resident of the Devkar Panand area of the city, said, "For the past two days, all the members in my family and also in the neighbourhood have said that they are facing sore throats with itchy eyes due to the dust particles flying in the air. But KMC is least bothered about the sufferings of the common man."