People in Chennai and other parts of the state may live longer than people in a
few other states in spite of the presence of fine particulate matter PM2.5 in the
air. The impact of air pollution due to fine particulate matter on the life
expectancy of people in Tamil Nadu may be less compared to a few other states.
An air quality life index report said the life of an individual in Tamil Nadu may
get cut down by 2.3 years if the present PM2.5 concentrations continue while
those in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka may lose
anywhere between 2.4 years to 4.9 years.
The four states, which have a population slightly less or more than that of TN —
which has 788.2 lakh people — have high PM2.5 average concentrations ranging
between 20 mcicrogram/m3 and 54.7 microgram/m3 compared to 28.2
microgram/m3 levels in Tamil Nadu, which is less than national PM2.5
standards of 40 microgram/m3.
While Delhi is landlocked where temperatures drop considerably during winter,
Chennai has an advantage of its coast. While the source of PM2.5 in the state is
from vehicle or industrial combustion, it is possible to achieve Who guideline
levels of 5microgram/m3 with technologies to control emissions and reduce old
diesel vehicles.
