IMA now appeals to Kejriwal to cancel Delhi marathon

                                Delhi Marathon in Kejri Court

In what may go down in IMA history as one of its kind appeals to ensure health of city dwellers, the national leadership of Indian Medical Association has now approached Delhi chief minister Aravind Kejriwal to put a halt to the proposed Airtel half marathon in the capital.

In a letter addressed to Kejriwal on Monday, national IMA president Dr KK Aggarwal has requested his intervention to impress upon the organizers to cancer Delhi half marathon scheduled on Sunday, November 19, 2017.

He cited the alarmingly high levels of air pollution in the national capital with the Air Quality Index ranging from ‘very unhealthy’ to ‘hazardous’ levels in the last few days.

“The air quality is particularly poor in the early morning when pollution is extremely high. This is also the time when the proposed half marathon is scheduled to start,” he writes in his appeal to the Delhi CM.

Reasons for the surprise appeal

In his letter, he explained how the hazardous pollution levels may have disastrous health consequences, even for healthy participants.

“It can trigger off an asthma attack and worsen lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It can also crease the risk f acute fatal or non fatal cardiovascular events such as heart attack, arrhythmias stroke and may predispose heart disease patients to the risk of sudden cardiac death,” he warned in his letter.

Interestingly, the national IMA president did not repose complete trust on Aravind Kejriwal as he went on to mark a copy of the letter to chief justice, Delhi High Court,Chairperson, National Green Tribunal and Commissioner, Delhi police as well.