The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Government cares for traffic police, says Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 17, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Government cares for traffic police, says Minister

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, DEC.16. Distribution of anti-pollution nose masks, free health check-up and conduct of retreat were among the measures taken by the Government for welfare of traffic police personnel, the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, said in the Assembly on Thursday.

He told G. Narasaiah (Independent) during the question hour that spirometric evaluations had been conducted on traffic police personnel exposed to automobile emission in the twin cities. Out of the 306 personnel screened, 50 were smokers, constituting 16.33 per cent. There were six former smokers (1.96 per cent).

The study which was conducted by the Chest Hospital, Osmania Medical College, concluded that carbon monoxide levels were definitely high in smokers when compared to non-smokers which was directly proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked. The ex-smokers had low level of carbon monoxide.

About 5.6 per cent of non-smokers had high level of carbon monoxide which could be explained by the "pollution burden due to vehicular pollution," he added.

He said the Swas centre inaugurated at the traffic control room would have facilities for periodical health check-up. Besides, free health checks were offered by Apollo hospitals to all traffic police personnel at any of its centres. Referring to periodic retreat, he said the advantages of yoga were explained at the initiative held at the Ramakrishna Mutt.

Besides officers and men, Home Guards were invited to the retreat.

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