India’s life expectancy hit by 9 years due to pollution: Report

NEW DELHI: Air pollution might reduce the life expectancy of over 40 per cent of Indians by more than nine years, read a report published by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) on Tuesday, August 31. According to the report, over 480 million Indians are exposed to significantly high levels of pollution on a regular basis. 

The report explained that over the years, India’s air pollution levels have drastically increased and expanded geographically, effects of which could not be seen in the air quality index of Maharastra and the central state of Madhya Pradesh. 

The National Clean Air Program (NCAP), launched by the Government of India in 2019, aims at reducing the air pollution of 102 worst-hit cities by 2024. The report mentioned that if the goals under NCAP are “achieved and sustained”, it would raise the country’s overall life expectancy by 1.7 years.