Scribd
Upload
72 views1 page

Air Pollution's Deadly Impact in India

Air pollution is a major killer in India, causing 620,000 premature deaths in 2010 according to national data. Only 2 of 180 monitored cities met air quality standards. Globally, air pollution caused 7 million deaths in 2012, one in eight of all deaths, with indoor pollution causing 4.3 million deaths from cooking over polluting fuels. Air pollution is the world's largest environmental health risk and a leading cause of death in India after high blood pressure, indoor pollution, tobacco, and poor nutrition.

Uploaded by

Linto John
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
72 views1 page

Air Pollution's Deadly Impact in India

Air pollution is a major killer in India, causing 620,000 premature deaths in 2010 according to national data. Only 2 of 180 monitored cities met air quality standards. Globally, air pollution caused 7 million deaths in 2012, one in eight of all deaths, with indoor pollution causing 4.3 million deaths from cooking over polluting fuels. Air pollution is the world's largest environmental health risk and a leading cause of death in India after high blood pressure, indoor pollution, tobacco, and poor nutrition.

Uploaded by

Linto John
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Air pollution a big killer in India

Polluted outdoor air caused 620,000 premature deaths in India in 2010, the last year for which
nationwide data is available. This was a six-fold jump from the 100,000 deaths in 2000, said the
Global Burden of Disease 2013, which tracks deaths and illnesses from all causes every 10 years.

Of the 180 cities monitored by India’s Central Pollution Control Board in 2012, only two —
Malappuram and Pathanamthitta in Kerala — meet the criteria of low air pollution (50% below the
standard).

Air pollution killed 7 million people in 2012, causing one in eight of the total deaths globally, said the
World Health Organization (WHO).

The new estimate, which includes both outdoor and indoor air pollution, is almost double the earlier
WHO estimate of 3.7 million deaths for outdoor air pollution in 2012.

Indoor air pollution caused 4.3 million deaths in 2012 in homes cooking over coal, wood and biomass
stoves, say the current estimates. Worldwide, 2.9 billion people live in homes using wood, coal or
dung as their primary cooking fuel.

This makes air pollution the world’s biggest environmental health risk, with most deaths being
caused by heart disease, strokes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is also linked to deaths
from lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

In India, air pollution is the biggest cause of death after high blood pressure, indoor air pollution
(mainly from smoking chullahs), tobacco use and poor nutrition.

Deaths due to outdoor air pollution

• 40% - heart disease

• 40% - stroke

• 11% - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• 6% - lung cancer

• 3% - acute lower respiratory infections in children.

Deaths caused by indoor air pollution

• 34% - stroke;

• 26% - heart disease;

• 22% - COPD;

• 12% - acute lower respiratory infections in children;

• 6% - lung cancer.

Source: World Health Organisation

You might also like