Women walk on a road near India Gate as the sky is enveloped with smog after Delhi's air quality worsened due to air pollution.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
The reports of the US-based Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) are annual reminders of the serious threat air pollution poses to India. This year’s report also paints a grim picture and details the impact of the poor quality of air on the lives and health of people.
According to the report, particulate matter pollution in the country is higher than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) prescribed standards. Air pollution has an impact across geographies. The Northern Plains are more polluted than the other regions.
The signs are distressing in many areas where pollution is visible as dark and grey air, choking people into sickness and slow death. But unlike other forms of pollution, the degradation of air is invisible in most regions, even as it envelopes people everywhere.
The report says air pollution costs every Indian 3.5 years of life expectancy and is a much bigger health threat in the country than malnutrition, tobacco, water pollution, and poor sanitation. In 2023, the average annual concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) was more than eight times the WHO’s recommended limit. It is higher than India’s own less stringent standards. An average Indian could gain about 9.4 months in life expectancy if the air quality improved to WHO standards.
The gain could be a whopping 8.2 years in Delhi, which has the most polluted air in the world. Air pollution is not just an Indian problem. The world has been living with it, and very few countries have achieved success in mitigation efforts. China stands out as a success story as it has consistently reduced pollution over the last decade. All South Asian countries experience high levels of pollution. The air of neighbouring countries has also been reported to have had an impact.
India has formulated and implemented national programmes to deal with the issue. Programmes such as PM Surya Ghar, for rooftop solar energy, and PM Kusum, for clean farm energy, are intended to address different types of air pollution. Though the programmes have been in operation for some time, they haven’t made an impact. There has been a steady increase in pollution from all sources, especially industries and vehicles.
The electric vehicle industry needs more encouragement in the country. The sources of pollution vary from state to state and region to region, and they need to be identified and specifically tackled. Air pollution also takes a huge economic toll in terms of medical expenses forced on people. The government must step up efforts to address the crisis with multi-pronged strategies and awareness campaigns.