Devouring 1.2 million lives every year in India

Air pollution in India has reached an alarming level to such an extent that it has cut short the life expectancy of people by 5.3 years. Every year 1.2 million deaths are reported in India due to air pollution. According to a nationwide survey published in Lancet Planetary Health, at least 12.5% of deaths or one in eight deaths reported in India in 2017 were all related to high rates of lower respiratory infections, heart diseases, strokes, lung cancer, and diabetes, which were caused by severe air pollution.
Of the 1.2 million people who died from air pollution-related causes, 51.4% were younger than 70 years old. In terms of   air pollution-related deaths, India is ahead of its neighbouring countries like Pakistan and China and it is a matter of grave concern for each of us.
The survey report says more than three-quarters of India’s population is exposed to air pollution that’s higher than the recommended level set by India’s government. That existing level of air pollution in India is four times the maximum recommended by the World Health Organization. The  Lancet study says that pollution is now the largest environmental causes of diseases and deaths in the world today, three times more than those HIV-AIDS, TB and Malaria put together.  In totality, every year approximately seven million people die prematurely due to air pollution.
According to the World Health Organization, India should essentially follow China’s example and clean up the air in its cities, which are among the world’s worst for outdoor pollution.
On #WorldEnvironmentDay today, let’s take a collective pledge to protect our environment from every kind of pollution by planting trees and exploring various sources of renewable energy and green technologies. Srijan Ka Sankalp does understand its responsibilities towards the Mother Nature and accordingly contributing towards environment conversation through tree plantation, water conservation and promoting use of renewable energy to protect our environment, the human, animal lives, the flora, and fauna.