Pollution is likely to reduce 9-year life expectancy by 40% of Indians

NEW DELHI, Sept. 1 (Reuters) – Air pollution is likely to reduce life expectancy by 40 percent of Indians in more than nine years, according to a report released Wednesday by a U.S. research group.

More than 480 million people living in large areas of central, eastern and northern India, including the capital, New Delhi, endure significantly high levels of pollution, according to the report by the Institute for Energy Policy. the University of Chicago (EPIC).

“Alarmingly, India’s high levels of air pollution have expanded geographically over time,” the EPIC report said.

For example, air quality has worsened significantly in the western state of Maharashtra and the central state of Madhya Pradesh, he said.

Praising India’s National Clean Air Program (NCAP Index), launched in 2019 to curb hazardous pollution levels, the EPIC report said “achieving and maintaining” NCAP targets would increase global life expectancy of the country in 1.7 years and that of New Delhi 3.1 years.

NCAP aims to reduce pollution in the 102 most affected cities by between 20% and 30% by 2024, ensuring the reduction of industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust, by introducing strict rules for transport and combustion fuels. of biomass and reduce dust pollution. It will also lead to better control systems.

New Delhi was the most polluted capital in the world for the third year in a row in 2020, according to IQAir, a Swiss group that measures air quality levels based on the concentration of airborne particles that damage the lungs. known as PM2.5.

Last year, 20 million New Delhi residents, who breathed some of the cleanest air recorded in the summer due to coronavirus blockage curbs, battled toxic air in the winter. after a sharp rise in agricultural waste burning in the nearby states of Punjab and Haryana.

According to EPIC findings, neighboring Bangladesh could increase average life expectancy by 5.4 years if the country improves air quality to levels recommended by the World Health Organization.

To arrive at the number of life expectancy, EPIC compared the health of people exposed to different levels of long-term air pollution and applied the results to various places in India and elsewhere.

Mohi Narayan Reports; Edited by Mayank Bhardwaj and Gerry Doyle

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