India finds itself in the throes of a dire air pollution crisis, with both Mumbai and Delhi attaining high ranks in global pollution assessments. According to IQAir, a leading air quality measurement company, Mumbai now stands as the second most polluted city, while Delhi, the nation’s capital, contends with the sixth position globally. These rankings are a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle to combat deteriorating air quality.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) serves as a crucial metric, gauging pollution levels and indicating the health risks associated with breathing the air. In Mumbai, the AQI recently surged to a worrisome 160, significantly exceeding safe limits. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration reached a staggering 14.7 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended guidelines. Delhi, too, faced perilous pollution levels, surpassing recommended limits by 9.8 times.
A distressing revelation emerged from a study published in The Lancet, highlighting that approximately 1.6 million deaths in India in 2019 were directly linked to air pollution. The economic toll proved staggering, translating into billions of dollars in losses. Premature deaths alone accounted for a monumental $28.8 billion, with morbidity adding an additional $8 billion to the already heavy burden.
When dissecting the economic consequences by state, Uttar Pradesh suffered the most substantial loss at $5.1 billion due to air pollution. Following closely behind were Maharashtra ($4 billion), Gujarat ($2.9 billion), Karnataka ($2.7 billion), and Tamil Nadu ($2.5 billion). Furthermore, Delhi experienced the highest per-capita economic loss, underscoring the severity of the crisis.
The data also exposed a disheartening trend in South Asia, as India observed a daunting 54.8% increase in particulate matter between 2000 and 2021, indicating a worsening trajectory. This concerning trend wasn’t isolated to India alone; Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan also witnessed significant rises in pollution levels during this period, signaling a region-wide challenge in the battle against air pollution.