Air Pollution Causes Five Million Deaths Each Year in India



Air Pollution Causes Five Million Deaths Each Year in India!

AGRA, India (AFP) - As many as five million deaths are caused by air pollution every year in India, the country's junior Environment and Forest Minister Namo Narayan Meena said.

There are about five million premature deaths each year in India because of the polluted air we breathe. It is also estimated that in India there are about 40 million asthmatic patients, mainly because of the polluted air," Meena said.

According to a joint World Bank and Asian Development Bank study of air pollution for 20 major Asian cities between 2000 and 2003, the level of suspended particulate matter considered the most dangerous pollutant was above World Health Organization (WHO) mandated safety limits in at least 10.

New Delhi topped the list with spikes of between 350 and 800 micrograms of suspended particulates per cubic meter. The WHO recommends less than 50 micrograms.

Other Indian cities such as Bombay, Calcutta and Pune have air which falls well below safety limits for all key pollutants -- carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide as well as suspended particulates.

"It is estimated that about 60 to 70 percent of air pollution in India is due to motor vehicles," said Meena.

"Realizing the urgent need to control vehicular pollution, a road map has been drawn for tighter emission norms and fuel quality improvement," he added.

India boasts 66 million vehicles on the roads, with seven million added just last year, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Nearly 10,000 new cars jostle for space in New Delhi every month.

Officials at the conference said it was difficult to say if Mexico City or New Delhi should be classed the most polluted in the world because of monthly variations.

The minister also told the global environment meeting taking place in the silhouette of the Taj Mahal that the famous marble monument of love built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal was at risk.

"The Taj Mahal is also at risk from air pollution and realising this the government of India has created the Taj Trapezium Pollution Control Authority," said Meena.

"An amount of about 130 million dollars has been approved for environmental protection of the Taj Mahal and its environs. An environment management plan was drafted for (the Taj city of) Agra in January 2002," he added

Air Pollution in India

The rapidly growing population and economic development are leading to the environmental degradation in India through the uncontrolled growth of urbanization and industrialization, expansion and massive intensification of agriculture, and the destruction of forests.

It is estimated that the country’s population will increase to about 1.26 billion by the year 2016. The projected population indicates that India will be the first most populous country in the world and China will be ranking second in the year 2050[1]. India having 18% of the world's population on 2.4% of world's total area has greatly increased the pressure on its natural resources. Water shortages, soil exhaustion and erosion, deforestation, air and water pollution afflicts many areas.

Indian cities are polluted by smokes from vehicles and industries. Road dust due to vehicles also contributing up to 33% of air pollution[11] In cities like Bangalore, around 50% of children suffer from asthma.[12] India has emission standard of Bharat Stage II (Euro II) for vehicles since 2005.[13]

On of the biggest causes of air pollution in India is from the transport system. Hundreds of millions of old diesel engines continuously burning away diesel which has anything up to 200 times the amount of sulphur out European diesel has. Of course the biggest problems are in the big cities where there are huge concentrations of these vehicles. On the positive side, the government appears to have noticed this massive problem and the associated health risks for it's people and is slowly but surely taking steps. The first of which was in 2001 when it ruled that it's entire public transport system, excluding the trains, be converted from diesel to compressed gas (CPG). Electric rickshaws are being designed and will be subsidised by the government but the supposed ban on the cycle rikshaws in Delhi will require a huge increase on the reliance of other methods of transport, mainly those with engines. In this case it seems, one step forward two steps!

It also appeared that the excessive pollution was having an adverse effect on the Taj Mahal. After a court ruling all transport in the area was shut down shortly followed by the closure of all industrial factories in the area. The air pollution in the big cities is rising to such an extent that it is now 2.3 higher than the amount recommended by WHO (world health organisation).

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