The number of deaths attributed to air pollution in India is growing every year

India is facing an increasing number of deaths and diseases caused by extreme air pollution with the poorest being the most vulnerable.

Air pollution is a burning issue that particularly affects India in the winter months (December – February) when the air in the larger cities becomes extremely harmful. According to a study conducted by the Lancet, in 2019 nearly 1.7 million premature deaths in India were due to air pollution which represents 18% of the total number of deaths and unfortunately, this number has significantly increased since 2017 when India reported this figure to was 1.24 million. The polluted air not only causes premature death but also increases the number of cases of diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, neonatal disorders, or respiratory diseases.

Naturally, the most affected are poor people living in large cities. Year after year, New Delhi breaks the record as the most polluted city on the planet although there are many other Indian and Pakistan cities that regularly exceed the level of pollution experienced in the Indian capital. New Delhi suffers from the most polluted air in winter when it reaches a level of toxic particles that is 20 times higher than the level recognized by the World Health Organization as being safe. In the case of the Indian capital, the toxic air comes from farm fires in neighboring states as well as from industrial and vehicle pollution and road dust. In addition, in the winter, New Delhi experiences lower wind speeds and fireworks which only exacerbate the problem.

Pollution is also a very serious issue in other parts of the country with the most affected states being Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana in northern India. The city that has recorded the highest ever annual level of pollution is Gurugram where, in 2018, the average air pollution level was 13 times higher than WHO norms. Six out of the 10 most polluted cities in the world are Indian.

Furthermore, air pollution also emphasizes the great divide between the richest and the poorest as the latter are the most affected by the side effects of toxic air. While wealthier families can afford to buy air purifiers to protect themselves against the effects of breathing polluted air, for the poorer section of society those devices are beyond their reach so they struggle with the effects of toxic air effects more frequently.

It has also been discovered by scientists that polluted air significantly increases the number of COVID-19 cases and worsens the chance of recovery as well as the way in which those infected suffer from the disease. The Indian Medical Association claims that as many as 13% of the recent COVID-19 cases may be connected with the deterioration in air quality.

Polluted air also weakens the economy. According to the Lancet study, India lost US$36.8 billion in 2019 which represents 1.36% of its Gross Domestic Product as a result of the number of victims of air pollution.