The staggering death figure is an indication of the chasm between the rich and poor in this region, where China’s sustained growth and acceleration of Indian economy have reduced the number of people living on a daily income of one dollar, by 250 million in the last decade.

At the same time, poor families in this region, particularly the women, are exposed to acrid smoke daily due to more use of fossil fuels. This leads to premature deaths caused by the carbon and dust particles in the smoke. Lack of nutrition and medical care contribute to the helplessness.

Indoor air pollution
Though indoor air pollution has emerged as a major global threat contributing significantly to fatal heart diseases, cancer and respiratory infections, the menace is most severe in Africa and South East Asia, says United Nations Environment Programme’s new Global Environment Outlook report, which was released globally on Friday.

Besides affecting people’s health, air pollution is adversely impacting agriculture due to the increase in concentration of low-atmospheric ozone in India, Pakistan and China. In the 1990s, the number of cars and two-wheelers rose by ten per cent every year in India and China.

Low atmospheric ozone has been estimated to cause economic losses to the tune of $ 5.72-12 billion every year for 23 arable crops in Europe. There is now evidence of similar impacts in this region.
While upper atmospheric ozone protects the earth from deadly cosmic rays, closer to the ground it affects farm productivity.

According to research carried out at the Benaras Hindu University, ground level concentration of ozone is approximately 40 parts per billion in rural areas of north India whereas the normal natural background ozone level varies between 8-10 ppb. Such a high concentration of ozone is affecting rice and wheat productivity.
The increase is due to a heightened amount of various oxides of nitrogen in ambient air due to human activities. The oxides under sunlight automatically produce harmful ozone.

Danger point
“We have reached a point where the damage and danger for unsustainable development is happening now. Its no longer in the future,” said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chairman Dr R K Pachuri after releasing the report here.

Environmental damages are also wiping out the plant and animal species, the report says.