Air Pollution Crisis Grips Northern India: Life Expectancy Reduced by 8 Years
People who live in the northern plains of India have an average life expectancy reduced by 8 years.
Image Source: India.com
The northern plains of India are facing a severe environmental crisis as air pollution levels soar to alarming heights. Recent reports reveal that people living in this region experience a shocking reduction in their life expectancy by a staggering eight years, primarily due to fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5)
In the northern plains of India, this particulate pollution is causing severe health problems, including a staggering reduction in life expectancy by 8 years, as reported. This region comprises seven states and union territories, including Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, and bears the highest health burden attributed to particulate pollution in India.
Alarmingly, the annual average particulate pollution levels in the Northern Plains are 17.3 times higher than the WHO guideline. Over the years, from 1998 to 2021, there has been a 61% increase in average annual particulate pollution, resulting in a further reduction in life expectancy by 3.2 years.
The most severely affected area within the Northern Plains is the National Capital Territory of Delhi, home to 18 million residents who face a potential loss of 11.9 years of life expectancy compared to the WHO guideline and 8.5 years relative to the national guideline if current pollution levels persist. Delhi is consistently ranked as the most polluted city in India and worldwide. Several factors contribute to air pollution in Delhi, including the burning of firecrackers during Diwali, the burning of crop stubble in neighboring states, industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, and seasonal weather conditions.
Even in the least polluted district within the region, Pathankot in Punjab, particulate pollution levels exceed the WHO guideline by more than seven times, leading to a 3.1-year reduction in life expectancy if current pollution levels continue.
To address the escalating pollution crisis, India launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 as part of its efforts to combat pollution. Initially, NCAP aimed to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30% nationwide by 2024, with a focus on 102 cities failing to meet India’s PM2.5 standards. However, in 2022, the government revised its pollution reduction target under NCAP, setting an ambitious city-level goal of a 40% reduction by 2025-26 for an expanded list of 131 non-attainment cities. Achieving this target would result in a significant reduction in PM2.5 exposure and lead to an increase in life expectancy for citizens in these cities as well as for the average Indian nationwide.
Approximately 30% of these targeted cities, or 38 cities, are located in the Northern Plains of India, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive measures to combat pollution in this critically affected region.
-Anirudh
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