The study “State of Global Air 2019” released by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) produces the latest information on air quality and health for countries around the globe.
“ASIAN COUNTRIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GLOBAL DEATHS”
“In India, air pollution is the 3rd highest cause of death among all health risks, ranking just above smoking; each year, more people globally die from air pollution-related disease than from road traffic injuries or malaria,” local daily The Hindu reported, citing the report. India and China together were responsible for “over half of the total global attributable deaths, with each country facing over 1.2 million deaths from all air pollution in 2017,” according to the daily.
The problem of air pollution found a mention in the election manifesto of India’s main opposition Congress party on Tuesday. “Congress recognizes that air pollution is a national public health emergency. We will significantly strengthen the National Clean Air Programme in order to urgently tackle the problem of pollution,” the party said in the manifesto.
“AIR POLLUTION IS GETTING SERIOUS”
Environment experts say more efforts are needed to curb the pollution.
“We have evidence coming every day that air pollution is getting serious and also deaths are taking place. So efforts are required to reduce the emissions of air pollution efforts are needed on a war footing,” said Prof. Manju Mohan, an atmospheric scientist at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.
Ravindra Khaiwal, a faculty member of Environment Health at the northern Chandigarh-based Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, said: “Air pollution is becoming a major health risk leading to increased mortality.” “Air pollution has become a major killer and hence government of India has launched national clean air program to reduce 20-30 percent PM2.5 emissions by 2024,” Khaiwal, said.