Editorial: Death in the air

The pollution levels in India have reached such an alarming level that the choice is now between existence and extinction

There is a familiar air to the global reports on air pollution. Year after year, ominous signals emanate from these surveys, bracketing Indian cities among the most polluted in the world, but it is again back to business as usual for policymakers. According to the latest study, published in Lancet Planetary Health, the pollution levels in India have reached such an alarming level that the choice is now between existence and extinction. There is not a single location in India where the yearly average pollution levels are below the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly 1.5 million deaths are caused every year in India due to high levels of pollutants — PM2.5 (Particulate Matter of 2.5 microns diameter) — the study has found. In fact, nearly 82% of the Indian population is living in areas where the air quality does not even meet the country’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The study is based on data from 655 districts between 2009 and 2019. This shows the striking impact of air pollution on health. There is an urgent need to take proactive measures to control pollution levels by identifying the sources — be it construction, vehicular pollution and crop burning — and addressing them thoroughly. Air pollution, especially PM2.5, is known to affect not just the respiratory system, but also increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, cause spikes in blood pressure and lead to developmental delays in children.

Though the Centre has been implementing a national air pollution control programme since 2017 to improve air quality, the study revealed that PM2.5 concentrations have continued to increase in many areas. Experts have warned that every 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in the PM2.5 concentration leads to an 8.6% increase in mortality. The results show that current guidelines in India are not sufficient to protect health. Stricter regulations and measures to reduce emissions are of utmost importance. No country can achieve economic prosperity without taking care of public health. There is an urgent need to step up investments in state-specific air pollution control strategies to improve population health. Vehicles are one of the major sources of air pollution in India, especially in urban areas. Industries are another major contributor to air pollution in India, especially in the northern and eastern regions. Some of the major challenges in tackling air pollution in the country are weak enforcement and compliance with existing regulations and standards that can prevent polluting activities, inadequate financing and incentives for clean technologies, lack of proper research and innovation, low public awareness and mushrooming of unregulated small-scale industries without proper environmental permits or controls. There is a need to develop and promote low-carbon technologies such as solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells, wind turbines, biogas plants and electric vehicles that can reduce the dependence on fossil fuels.