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CAPITAL GASPS: Delhi got highest PM2.5 exposure in 2017

Capital witnessed 12,322 deaths related to air pollution; high level of air pollution have brought down the average life expectancy of Delhiites by 1.5 years

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Report revealed that over 50 per cent people who died due to poor pollution levels were less than 70 years
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Delhi had the highest annual population-weighted mean PM 2.5, ie highest PM 2.5 exposure level in 2017, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana. This fact has been revealed in the first comprehensive estimates of the number of deaths, disease burden, and reduction of life expectancy associated with air pollution in each state across country published by the India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative report published in ‘The Lancet Planetary Health’. 

While the study attributed one in eight deaths in the country last year to air pollution, of the 12.4 lakh total deaths related to air pollution, 12,322 occurred in the National Capital itself. Of these, 11,732 were due to ambient particulate matter pollution and only 52 due to household pollution.

Over half of the deaths in the city, ie 51.1 per cent, were in people less than 70 years of age. The high level of air pollution have brought down the average life expectancy of Delhi by 1.5 years and that of the country by 1.7 years.

“We are undertaking a number of initiatives for experts to convene in order to develop strategies that will increase awareness among communities on what each one of us could do to reduce the adverse impact of air pollution on health. This process will benefit from the state-specific findings reported by this study,” said Dr S Venkatesh, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Doctors suggest that the exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution should be taken into account while planning policies and interventions to reduce the exposure and its health impact.

“There has been increasing consensus in recent public and policy debates in India on the need to address the adverse health impact of air pollution,” said Prof Lalit Dandona, Research Professor, Public Health Foundation of India, and Director, India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative. 

“The findings in this paper that one out of every eight deaths in India can be attributed to air pollution, and that air pollution is now responsible for more disease burden in India than tobacco use, will help increase the momentum further for control of air pollution,” he said.

SUGGESTION

Doctors suggest that the exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution should be taken into account while planning policies and interventions to reduce the exposure and its health impact.

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