A groundbreaking study published in the Lancet has unveiled alarming statistics about the mortality rates linked to air pollution in major Indian cities. Conducted by researchers from India and abroad, this multi-city analysis highlights that air pollution is responsible for approximately 7.2 per cent of all deaths across ten major urban centres in India, translating to over 33,000 fatalities annually.
The study focused on Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Shimla, and Varanasi. Among these, Delhi stands out with the highest air pollution-related mortality rate, where about 11.5 per cent of deaths each year, roughly 12,000 fatalities, can be attributed to air pollution. This makes Delhi the city with the highest burden of pollution-related deaths in the country.Shimla reported the lowest mortality burden, with only 59 deaths annually, accounting for about 3.7 per cent of its total deaths being linked to air pollution. The study’s findings indicate a stark contrast among the cities, highlighting the varying impact of air pollution on public health.
The research found that PM2.5 concentrations in these cities exceeded the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) safe limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre on 99.8 per cent of the days. This widespread breach of safe air quality levels underscores the chronic exposure to harmful pollutants faced by urban populations.The study further revealed a 1.42 per cent increase in mortality for every 10 micrograms per cubic metre rise in PM2.5 levels when all ten cities were analysed together. However, significant variations were observed: Delhi showed a modest 0.31 per cent increase in mortality, whereas Bengaluru exhibited a substantial 3.06 per cent rise. These differences suggest that individuals in less polluted cities face a higher relative risk of mortality from incremental pollution increases compared to those in more polluted environments.An official from the Centre for Chronic Disease Control explained, “In our results, we see that cities such as Bengaluru and Shimla, which have relatively lower levels of air pollution, showed stronger effects. This is likely due to the sharp increase in risk at lower levels of exposure, which plateaus at higher levels, which are unlikely to be experienced in these cities.”The findings of this study call for urgent and comprehensive measures to tackle air pollution across Indian cities. As urbanisation continues to surge, addressing air quality will be crucial to safeguarding public health and reducing pollution-related mortality rates. The study’s insights into the varying impacts of pollution highlight the need for tailored strategies that consider the unique challenges and risks faced by different cities.
