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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : January 30, 2019 8:54 PM IST
Image credits by: If India reduced particulate pollution by 25 per cent, people in Kanpur would live 2.4 years longer and, in Kolkata for 1.1 years more. © Shutterstock
If India reduces particulate pollution by 25 per cent in five years, residents breathing the most polluted air in New Delhi and parts of Uttar Pradesh could live almost three years longer, a study said on Tuesday.
The study titled "The Potential Benefits of India's 'War Against Pollution' -- Longer Lives", was conducted by the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), which translates particulate air pollution into its impact on life expectancy.
"The payoffs from the successful implementation of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) could be substantial with people in the most polluted areas like Delhi living almost three years longer," Michael Greenstone, who created the index along with his colleagues at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), said. "For this reason, NCAP has the potential to become a historic and watershed moment in Indian environmental policy," he added.
The AQLI study revealed that if India reduced particulate pollution by 25 per cent, people in Kanpur would also live 2.4 years longer and, in Kolkata for 1.1 years more. On January 10, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan launched the NCAP which aims to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30 per cent by 2024.
Well, when we talk about air pollution, we are talking about some of the most harmful chemicals including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, benzopyrene, particulate matter (PM10), trioxygen (O3) and many more. These gases have adverse effects on human health. From damaging your hair to causing skin cancer, these gases are responsible for some of the most severe health conditions.
Asthma: A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health has linked long-term exposure to PM10 and trioxygen O3 to uncontrolled asthma in adults. Inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs, asthma makes breathing difficult. It is a chronic disease that comes with symptoms like coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Irritants in the air like fumes, smoke, and strong odours act as asthma triggers.
Acute myeloid leukaemia: A study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health has shown links between air pollution and the risk of acute myeloid leukaemia. It is a type of blood cancer which is characterized by rapid growth of abnormal or immature cells and their build up in the bone marrow and blood. Further, these immature cells interfere with the matured ones and even spread in the other parts of the body. There are various causes of acute myeloid leukaemia including exposure to certain chemicals like benzene and high doses of radiation. Benzene is solvent oil used in factories and one of the components of air pollutions. Notably, there is no cure of this acute disease however, there are treatments available that can make a big difference.
Lung cancer: A study published in the European Journal of Public Health has associated exposure to ambient air pollutants with increased lung cancer incidence and mortality. There are various carcinogens (substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue) present in the polluted air. When you inhale these particulate matters, the tissues of the nasal cavity get irritated and causes problems like coughing and running nose. Also, when they travel down the airways into the lungs, the immune system perceives them as infection and thus releases antibodies, which result in inflammation. When this condition remains for a longer duration, various other health issues like asthma, heart attack, and lung cancer occur.
Premature baby birth: According to a study published in the journal Environment International, outdoor air pollution has been associated with 2.7 million preterm births per year. PM2.5 present in the polluted air is harmful to human health as it can penetrate deep inside the lungs. Diesel vehicles and agricultural waste-burning are the main sources of PM2.5. which can not only harm people who are breathing the air directly but also the babies in their mother s womb.
Autism: A 2018 study published in the Environment International journal has shown link between air pollution and autism. According to this research, exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) can increase the risk of developing autism by up to 78 per cent. The scientists inform that the brains of children are more vulnerable to toxic exposures in the environment. And, this can potentially affect their brain functions and the immune system leading to autism and other serious health conditions.
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