Since the world is presently battling the Covid-19 pandemic, the air pollution💨, a persistent health issue has gone off its radar, at least for now.
However, humanity should do that only at its own risk, as air pollution was ☝️the greatest risk to human health before Covid-19 and will remain so even after it.
This fact has been stressed upon in the latest Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report📃.
AQLI is a pollution index that measures the impact of particulate air pollution on life expectancy👴.
Significantly, this AQLI report has disclosed some deeply worrying facts😯 regarding India which as per it, is the worst affected country in the world in this regard.
Nearly a quarter of India’s population👥 is exposed to pollution levels that are not seen in any other country.
As a consequence, average life of an Indian gets reduced⤵️ by over 5 years as per the healthy guidelines of WHO.
Depressing Figures
According to AQLI, 84% of Indians live in areas where the pollution levels exceed↗️ the country’s own air quality standards.
Notably, this figure rises to absolute 100%😱 if one goes by the safe standards set by the WHO.
The particulate pollution in India has increased by 42% in the last two decades🗓️.
The Region-wise Impact
As per the AQLI report, the residents of Delhi could live nine years more🙂 if pollution gets reduced to meet the WHO guideline.
This figure is 8 years each in the case of U.P and Haryana, while 7 for both Bihar and West Bengal.