The report also stated that air pollution has reduced the average life expectancy of an Indian by 5.2 years. (Photo | Vinay Madapu/EPS)
HYDERABAD: Air pollution has shortened the average life expectancy of nearly 36 million residents of Telangana by 3.1 years, revealed a recent report by the Energy Policy Institute at The University of Chicago (EPIC). The report also stated that air pollution has reduced the average life expectancy of an Indian by 5.2 years. The report is based on an analysis of 20 years of pollution levels. The authors of the study use a tool — the Air Quality-Life Index (AQLI) — that estimates the effect air pollution has on life expectancy.
Through AQIL, the researchers also predicted the life expectancy gain that countries will enjoy if they can bring down the pollution concentration levels (for PM2.5) to the ones prescribed by the national standards (40ug/m3) and the WHO (10ug/m3). If Telangana were to comply with WHO’s air quality standard, its people could live around 3.1 years longer. The study revealed that if the State were to adhere to the national standard, it could add 0.2 years to the citizens’ lives. In 2019, the Central government had launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) intending to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30 per cent relative to 2017 levels by 2024.
The report added that if NCAP’s goals are achieved, it would lead to remarkable health improvements. A 25 per cent, the midpoint of the NCAP’s target, would increase the life expectancy of the State’s citizen by 1.1 years and a 40 per cent reduction in air pollution will increase it by 1.6 years. Speaking to the Express, Dr Gopi Krishna Y, a pulmonologist, said that the permanent exposure of higher PM 2.5 levels can cause damage to human respiratory organs and can also lead to multiple allergies and even Chronic Obstructive Pulmon a r y D i s e a s e (COPD), which causes deprivation of oxygen and glucose. “Air pollution indirectly affects the human respiratory system and can cause organ damage, eventually resulting in a reduction in the average life expectancy of a p e r s o n , ” s a i d Krishna.
The report also stated that as the world races to find a vaccine to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control, air pollution would continue to cause billions of people to lead shorter and sicker lives across the globe. The pulmonologist added that PM 2.5 concentration can also aggravate Covid-19 complications. “If people with respiratory allergies get infected with Covid, the symptoms can get worse. Primarily, they are prone to more disease in general,” he said.
