When a routine medical test last year revealed DJ Akhtar had bronchitis, his doctor thought it was the result of his heavy smoking. But DJ Akhtar has never smoked in his life.
Im a non-smoker so the doctor concluded it was all the passive second hand smoke at my place of work (the nightclub) This really scared the 14-year veteran DJ who continues to delight a new generation of party people at Tajs Insomnia and JW Marriotts Enigma. He now accepts this hazard as part of his job and in a feeble attempt to protect his senses from the onslaught, he sometimes wears goggles and ear plugs.
Average to bad air quality in many city nightspots on weekends and special events is a given when packed to capacity. The good news is that some responsible nightspot owners are upgrading and investing in better equipment, while others are mulling over it.
The bad news is that the health risks resulting from bad air quality is hardly an issue among light-headed party animals. Perhaps because they are part of the problem a significant number of them chain smoke the night away and many other recreational smokers take the opportunity to light up their cigars and cigarettes.
According to Bobby Mukherjee, interior designer of Ra and Escape nightspots in Lokhandwala,. two tons of air conditioning is required for every 100 square feet. So a 3000 square foot place would ideally need to have a 60-ton air conditioning unit. In addition, there needs to be high-quality smoke extractors as part of the air conditioning unit and electrostatic filters to remove carbon particles.
The problem says Mukherjee is that many clients are reluctant to make such investments and will go for the bare minimum, which is adequate on nights when crowds are thin. But on weekends there is a tendency to over crowd the nightspot, which leads to a dangerous cocktail of toxins in the air.
In recent years, night-spots have mushroomed in the unlikeliest of places and often, the decision to set up a club has more to do with location than the structure which may or may not support ducting requirements for optimal ventilation.
Architect Ritesh of Ritesh Haldar Associates who has designed the nightclubs Neverlounge, Soho and Palazzo in Pune says, If nightclubs have a minimum 15-foot ceilings, the air quality would not be as bad because hot air rises with so many people smoking at the same time and the body heat generated through all the dancing. Often creating ducting for ventilation is a challenge especially if the location is between two other structures or does not have enough space.
The problem is the poor air change. In simple terms at least 15 per cent of the air in the place taken out per hour and fresh air needs to come in. Some nightclubs rely on frequent opening of the door to bring in fresh air. This isnt adequate when the place is packed to capacity. Increasing ventilation requires an increase in the tonnage as there is cool air loss. It costs an average of Rs 30,000 per ton and electricity bills jump phenomenally as well.
In the absence of any regulations governing air-conditioning requirements, the responsibility falls on the owners, interior designers and air-conditioning consultants like Hitachis Kiran Khakar. Currently Hitachi is in the process of putting in an additional 17 tons of air conditioning in the popular Enigma, at the JW Marriott.
This is the third time we will be installing additional units. Air quality in nightclubs inside five-star hotels often meets or exceeds requirements given their space and resources and the need to cater to the international traveller.
Similarly Olive recently upgraded their air-conditioning system and added four new units at the bar. Says AD Singh: We found it was better to have a little more tonnage in the bar area where more people tend to smoke and it makes a huge difference.
But many party regulars like Kishin Mulchandani have adopted a fatalistic view toward the potential hazards of poor air quality at some nightclubs. Not investing in adequate air-conditioning and creating proper ventilation is being penny wise and pound foolish. I guess owners feel that the problem of poor air is only for a few hours mostly on weekends and special nights and so he or she can get away with it.
The minute my eyes start watering, I have to leave the premises for a few minutes to let my eyes breathe or I simply leave the party and go someplace else. But bad air at any nightclub will not stop me from partying. he says echoing the sentiments of most diehard pub crawlers.
Ad man Prahlad Kakkar says part of the charm of going out to a nightclub is the smoky environment, he suggests health nuts go to a park where air is clean and listen to an iPod.
Often, consultant Kiran Khakar has recommended a 20-ton unit for an establishment while another air conditioning consultant will assure the client that 12 tons would be adequate and that he would give a guarantee in case it proves inadequate in the future. So potentially my quote is 3 lakh higher than my competitor. Needless to say, hes lost a few contracts.
Defying the global trend of populations weaning themselves off cigarettes, in Mumbai, cigarette smoking seems to be on the increase. At times, almost every person in a nightclub is lighting up at the same time.
Creating smoking and non-smoking areas is impractical given space constraints and the frightful cost of real estate. And with a rash of nightspots mushrooming all across the city, many entrepreneurs are in the business to cash in on the trend, they are also mindful of the short lifespan of a nightspot.
After all trendoids and party people will simply saunter into the next big, hip and happening nightspot that opens. One party animal who didnt wish to be named says, We live in one of the most polluted cities in the world and breathe in polluted air every day. How much worse is the air in a nightclub? The jury is still out on that one.
Tips for party regulars
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration as a result of lack of oxygen.
If you start feeling giddy (hard to tell when drinking) and /or get a headache, step out for some fresh air.
When your eyes start to burn, splash cold water into them to relieve the burning sensation and minimize the chances of eye damage.
Try stepping out and gulping some fresh air if you plan on staying at a crowded nightspot for more than two hours.
Try partying on weeknights when there are fewer people.
Limit your partying to twice a week if possible.
If you wake up wheezing one morning, rush to your family physician and confess you party hard, so he knows whats wrong with you.
