The University of Chicago in the US said in its annual ‘Air Quality Life Index’ released last week that the life of people in India has decreased by an average of five years due to polluted air. In the whole world this figure is 2.2 years. India is the most polluted country in the world after Bangladesh. The havoc of air pollution is not taking its name all over the world. The report says that the entire 1.3 billion population of India is breathing polluted air. At the same time, there are 63 percent people who are becoming victims of very dangerous air pollution. The air level across the country is much worse than the recommended level of the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to the report, the age of the people of North India may decrease by 7.6 years. The age of the people of Delhi has decreased by 10 years. According to the index, Delhi is the most polluted city in the world. The chances of survival of people living here have decreased by 10 years due to air pollution. At the same time, in the coming time, the average age of the population of Lucknow will decrease by 9.5 years. Apart from this, the situation in Bihar, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal is also not better. If the air remains bad like this, then the age of 51 crore people here will decline by 7.6 years.
The University of Chicago claims that India has increased pollution in the world. Since the year 2013, India is the biggest hand behind increasing pollution in the world. Globally, the country has increased pollution by 44 percent. According to the researchers, even a 25 percent reduction in pollution would add 1.4 years to the average age of Indians. The world’s air pollution has increased by 61.4 percent annually since 1998, reducing the average life expectancy by 2.1 years. Particulate matter (PM) present in the air is no less than a poison for the human lungs. PM 2.5 has been investigated in this report. These are particles present in the air, whose size is 2.5 micrometers or less. Due to these, premature death can also occur.
According to the WHO, PM 2.5 in the air should not exceed five micrograms per cubic meter, but the amount of particulate matter in the whole country is higher. After air pollution, the median life expectancy from malnutrition in India is reduced by 1.8 years and from smoking by 1.5 years, the report said. The age of children is decreasing due to malnutrition caused by pollution. Child and maternal malnutrition has reduced average life expectancy by about 1.8 years.
According to the WHO, the average annual PM 2.5 level should not exceed five micrograms per cubic metre. But the report states that the average annual air pollution level in India has increased by 61.4 percent since 1998. The average PM 2.5 level over the vast plains of North India stood at 76.2 micrograms per cubic meter in the year 2020. The report said that the people of Lucknow would lose 9.5 years of life at the current level of pollution. It also said that life expectancy would increase by 8.2 years in Uttar Pradesh, 7.9 years in Bihar, 5.9 years in West Bengal and 4.8 years in Rajasthan if the WHO’s PM-2.5 level norm is met.
In the year 2019, the Indian government has declared war on pollution and launched its National Clean Air Program (NCAP) with the goal of reducing the 2017 particulate pollution level by 20 to 30 percent by the year 2024.