This story is from July 29, 2020

Delhiites lose 9 years' life due to pollution: Study

According to the study by University of Chicago through its Air Quality Life Index which took the 2018 pollution levels as base, the average Delhiite is losing 9.4 years of life.
Delhiites lose 9 years' life due to pollution, says study
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NEW DELHI: India has the second-worst air quality in the world that is cutting short the average life expectancy of Indians by 5.2 years - behind only 6.2 years of Bangladesh residents - with particulate pollution having risen 42% since 1998, says a new analysis.
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According to the study by University of Chicago through its Air Quality Life Index which took the 2018 pollution levels as base, the average Delhiite is losing 9.4 years of life.
That's the human cost of the city failing to meet the WHO's air quality norm. By even meeting the national standard, Delhiites will gain 6.5 years.
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As many as 84% of Indians live in areas that exceed the country’s own air quality standard — 40 micrograms per cubic metre — and the entire population is exposed to levels that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of 10 micrograms.
As a result, an average Indian sees her life cut short by more than five years in relation to what it would have been if the WHO standard was met, while it is shortened by 2.3 more years compared to the national standard.

According to the study, a quarter of India’s population is exposed to pollution levels not seen in any other country. Between 1998 and 2018, Indians, on average, lost 1.8 years of their life span, it adds.
The study says 248 million residents of north India are likely to lose more than eight years of life in the current scenario.
Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh has the highest level of pollution in the country — 11 times more than the WHO norm. At this rate, its residents stand to lose 10.3 years of their life.
The findings also indicate that in states like Bihar and West Bengal, people can add more than seven years to their life if air quality meets the WHO guidelines, while the count will be eight years in Haryana.
“Though the threat of novel coronavirus deserves every bit of attention it is receiving, embracing the seriousness of air pollution with a similar vigour will allow billions of people around the world to lead longer and healthier lives,” said Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in economics and creator of AQLI along with colleagues at Energy Policy Institute at University of Chicago.
“The reality is, no shot in the arm will alleviate air pollution. For a country like India, the solution lies in a robust public policy. AQLI tells citizens and policymakers how particulate pollution is affecting them and their communities and can be used to measure the benefits of policies to reduce pollution,” he added.
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