The people of Gomtu in Samtse are grappling with dust and air pollution every day. Emissions from the cement industries coupled with dusty roads have led to an increasing number of patients with dust-related eye, skin, and respiratory issues at the Gomtu hospital.
Summer rain comes as a relief from both the dusty roads and dust emissions from the cement industries to the people of Gomtu. But when the weather stays dry and the cement plants are fully operational, Gomtu is engulfed in dust.
“The dust affects allergies a lot. My wife is suffering from allergies. It affects the eyes too. Dust affects our vision. Sometimes the dust is too much and sometimes it is bearable. They emit more dust during the night and in the morning it will be like it snowed. Dust will be all over the place,” said Sonam Lekden, a resident of Gomtu, Samtse.
“Those with flu cannot stand dust. I myself suffer from nose block and other health issues due to the dust. The medications only help for a while and it returns. Most people are suffering. Some children get pneumonia and other aerial respiratory infections,” added Karma Dorji, also from Gomtu.
Prolonged exposure to dust emitted from the two cement industries, Lhaki Cement and Penden Cement has resulted in several water and dust pollution related health issues.
The Gomtu Hospital sees about 1500 patients every month. This year, on an average, about 400 patients visit the hospital with respiratory illness and about 350 with skin diseases. All with direct relation to the air pollution from the industries nearby
The eye unit of the hospital is also seeing an increasing number of pterygium cases. A pterygium is a noncancerous tissue growth on the white part of the eye. Cases of dry eye syndrome, cornea related problems, and inflammation of eyelids has also been widely reported. On average, the hospital sees 36 dust pollution-related eye cases in a month.
The National Environment Commission has set ambient air quality standards for different areas. The classifications are industrial area, mixed area where residential and commercial activities take place, and sensitive areas, which include schools and hospitals. Gomtu falls under all three categories.
The permissible respirable particulate matter for an industrial area for a day is 200 micrograms per cubic meter whereas it is 100 for the mixed area and, 75 for sensitive areas.
But emissions from the cement factories suggest that the ambient air quality standards are not being met.
However, there is no knowing if the standards are breached since there are no independent high volume dust samplers installed in Gomtu by the National Environment Commission. Only real data that shows people are affected is from the number of people visiting the hospital with a dust-related illness.
The Penden Cement Authority says they are aware of emissions from its plant. The company says it has a target to make its plant pollution-free by 2021. Some of the plans are to procure vacuum trucks to suck dust from the air, substituting coal with other sources of energy, and introducing improved technology to reduce dust pollution at source. Meanwhile, the Lhaki Cement refused to comment on the issue.
