India, world leader in pollution related deaths

NEW DELHI: A report published by the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) on December 18 has found out that India leads the world in pollution related deaths. The report further highlighted that pollution is the biggest contributor to premature deaths in the world, estimating about 8.3 million deaths per year. India, with 2.3 million deaths owed to pollution, was followed by China with 1.8 million in 2017. USA was seventh with almost two lakh deaths. Rachael Kupka, acting executive director, GAHP, said that the report is indicative of how severe the problem has grown to be and must be now considered as a global crisis.

Pollution related death rates were highest in third world countries who fail to ensure adequate sanitation and air quality. Deaths per 1 lakh people in countries like Chad, Central African Republic and North Korea were highest at 287, 251 and 202 respectively. India marks 174 deaths per 1 lakh people.

The data used in the research was drawn from the Institute of Health Metrics Evaluation and was categorised into air, water, occupational and lead poisoning. Another thing that was brought forth by the report was that pollution levels contribute in increasing depression. The premature deaths due to pollution have now exceeded those attributed to tobacco use (8 million deaths per year), alcohol and drug addictions, HIV, malaria, Tuberculosis, war etc.