Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024

A recent study published in the journal “Lancet Planetary Health” confirmed that air pollution contributes to more than seven percent of the total deaths in the ten largest Indian cities.

According to the study, more than 33,000 deaths annually from 2008 to 2019 can be attributed to exposure to cancer-causing fine particles known as PM2.5, which exceed the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 15 micrograms per cubic meter.

The Indian capital, New Delhi, recorded the worst death rate related to air pollution, reaching 12,000 deaths annually, representing 11.5 percent of the total deaths.

In cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, although scientists believe that air pollution is not bad, these cities have witnessed high death rates.

The researchers called for strict measures to improve air quality in India, as current standards exceed World Health Organization recommendations by four times.

Study co-author Joel Schwartz of Harvard University said in a statement that lowering and enforcing the permissible PM2.5 limit “would save tens of thousands of lives annually.”

Schwartz emphasized that “pollution control methods exist and are being used elsewhere and must be urgently applied in India.”

In turn, the World Health Organization indicated that air pollution can lead to strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and other respiratory diseases.

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