Air Pollution Death

Delhi and Kolkata reported 106 and 99 deaths per 1 lakh population in 2019 which could be attributed to PM2.5 pollution, according to a new report published by US-based Health Effects Institute on Wednesday. In 2019, Delhi recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 110 microgram per cubic metre, the highest among the most-populous cities in the world, followed by Kolkata (84 microgram per cubic metre), said the report "Air Quality and Health in Cities" by the State of Global Air Initiative, a collaboration between the Health Effects Institute and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's Global Burden of Disease project. The report summarizes data on air pollution exposures and associated health impacts in 7,239 cities (with minimum population of 50,000) from 2010 to 2019. It combines ground-based air quality data with satellites and models to produce air quality estimates for cities around the world. PM2.5 refers to fine particles (measuring 2.5 m or less in diameter

The report revealed that life expectancy in India, as a result, has been shortened by about 1.5 years

In the US, the researchers found that 350,000 premature deaths per year are attributable to fine-particulate pollution generated by fossil-fuel combustion

A study published last year in The Lancet journal found that one out of every eight deaths in India in 2017 could be attributed to air pollution

The bottom line is we need tough action and at scale - it must be transformative enough so that it can beat the galloping pollution

The report said that over 61% of total deaths in India were attributed to lifestyle or non-communicable diseases