Pune: Pollution in Delhi has brought down the life expectancy by 6.4 years, a study by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology has revealed.
The study is based on data compiled in the 2011 census to arrive at the figures of "premature mortality" due to exposure to particulate matter (PM) across the country.
The study was conducted by IITM scientists in collaboration with the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Colorado.
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra record highest number of premature deaths in India due to pollution, the study concludes. UP recorded 15% of the country's deaths due to pollution while Maharashtra stood second with 10%. The study found that life expectancy in Maharashtra dropped by 3.3 years due to exposure to pollution.
The report, titled 'Premature Mortalities due to PM2.5 (finer particulate matter) and Ozone Exposure in India', says that West Bengal (9%) and Bihar (8%) follow Maharashtra in premature mortalities due to PM2.5.
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan collectively account for 32% of the countrywide premature mortalities.
IITM scientist Sachin Ghude, who was involved in the study was quoted by Times of India as saying, "Although these results are in line with other global estimates, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), there's no physical way to tell who has actually been killed by air pollution."
Ghude added, "The methods used in this study rely on statistical algorithms to construct estimates about a population's response to pollution exposure using previous concrete observations on pollution and public health.
The study also calculates mortalities due to exposure to harmful ozone (O3) pollution in which UP tops the list with 18% of total deaths. Bihar (11%) and West Bengal (9.5%) and Maharashtra (7%) come after that.
The report cites PM 2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less), which experts say is mostly emitted by vehicles, as the cause for chronic pulmonary diseases.
Ghude said, "Premature mortalities due to PM2.5 is 5.7 lakh and from ozone 12,000 for 2011. Exposure to these led to an economic loss of approximately $640 billion. Exposure to fine particulate matter in the air also reduces life expectancy by about 3.4 years."
