BHUBANESWAR: Breathing air in India, the second most polluted country in the world after Bangladesh, has more impact on life expectancy than any cardiovascular disease or the use of tobacco, reveals a new study carried out by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago.
As per the updated Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) of the institute, particulate matter (PM) 2.5, a major pollutant in the air, is estimated to shorten the life expectancy of an average Indian by 5.3 years. In fact, particulate pollution is the greatest threat to human health in India, underlined the index.
It also stated since 2013, India has contributed around 59% of the world's increase in pollution. The report stated as per the new and revised 2021 satellite-derived PM2.5 data, pollution in India has increased from 56.2 microgrammes per cubic metre (?g/m3) in 2020 to 58.7 ?g/m3 in 2021 - more than 10 times the WHO guideline. "The average Indian resident is set to lose 5.3 years of life expectancy if the WHO guideline is not met," it underlined.
In contrast, the index revealed, cardiovascular diseases reduce the average Indian's life expectancy by about 4.5 years, while child and maternal malnutrition reduce life expectancy by 1.8 years. Tobacco use, too, reduces life expectancy by 2.8 years, while unsafe water and sanitation by as much as 1 year.
Some areas of the country, including the national capital territory of Delhi, fare much worse than average in the index. Air pollution is shortening lives by 11.9 years in Delhi, the most polluted city in the world. Besides, at 126.5 ?g/m3, the national capital's annual average particulate pollution is 25 times more than the WHO guideline, the index stated.
It also termed the northern plains, home to more than a half billion people and 38.9% of the country's population, as the most polluted region of India.
The average resident, in this region, is on track to lose about eight years of life expectancy if the pollution level persists.
As per the index, all of India's 1.3 billion people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the WHO guideline. Besides, 67.4% of the population lives in areas that exceed the country's own national air quality standard of 40 ?g/m3.
If India were to reduce particulate pollution to meet the WHO guideline, residents in Delhi would gain 11.9 years of life expectancy. The life expectancy gains from reducing PM2.5 from 2021 concentration to WHO guideline will also be 8.8 years in Uttar Pradesh, 8.3 years in Haryana, 6.4 years in Punjab, 6.1 years in Tripura, 5.9 years in West Bengal, 5.7 years in Chhattisgarh, 4.9 years in Rajasthan and 4.6 years in Madhya Pradesh.
Similarly, life expectancy gains from reducing PM2.5 from 2021 concentration to national PM2.5 standard of 40 ?g/m³ will be 8.5 years in NCT of Delhi, 5.3 years in Uttar Pradesh, 4.9 years in Haryana, 4.5 years in Bihar, 2.7 years in
Tripura, 2.4 years in West Bengal and Jharkhand, and 2.3 years in Chhattisgarh.
The new index pointed out that south Asia is home to the world's four most polluted countries - Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The AQLI data reveal that residents in these countries are expected to lose about five years of life expectancy on average, if levels of pollution persist. The availability of reliable, timely and ready-to-use data on air pollution is one area where India can make significant improvements, the index underlined.
As per the AQLI, India declared a war against pollution in 2019 and launched its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). In 2022, the Government of India announced its revamped particulate pollution reduction target for NCAP.
If the ambition of the revised target is met, the overall annual average PM2.5 exposure of 131 non-attainment cities would be 21.9 ?g/m3 lower than 2017 levels. This would add 2.1 years onto the life of the average Indian living in these specific cities and 7.9 months onto the life of the average Indian country-wide, the index stated.