Delhi’s persistent air pollution is reducing the life expectancy of its residents, according to the latest Air Quality Life Index 2024 report, which highlights the city’s status as one of the most polluted regions in the northern plains.
According to a report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), 1.8 crore people living in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, one of the most polluted regions in the northern plains, are on track to lose an average of 11.9 years of life expectancy compared to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines.
Even by India’s own national standards, the residents stand to lose 8.5 years of life expectancy if current pollution levels persist.
Delhi, the capital and most populous city of India, also holds the dubious distinction of being the most polluted city globally, the report said.
However, the report also said if India were to meet its national PM2.5 standards, life expectancy for Delhi’s residents could increase by 8.5 years and if it met the WHO standards, nearly 12 years could be added to the life expectancy of Delhi’s residents.
PM2.5, a fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and trigger respiratory problems, is a significant health risk and a major contributing factor to pollution levels.
The report underscores that the annual PM2.5 standard in India is set at 40 micrograms per cubic metre, yet more than 40 per cent of the population is exposed to air that exceeds this limit.
Meanwhile, the maximum temperature in Delhi on Wednesday settled at 34 degrees Celsius, which is normal for this time of the year, the weather department said.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the humidity level stood at 85 per cent at 5:30 pm.
The Met department has issued a “yellow” alert for Delhi for Thursday.
A “yellow” alert denotes bad weather and the possibility of worsening conditions that could disrupt daily life, according to the IMD’s colour-coded warnings.
The IMD has predicted a cloudy sky with moderate rain for Thursday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 34 and 23 degrees Celsius respectively.
Between 8:30 am on August 27 and 8.30 am on August 28, Safdarjung, the city’s primary weather station, recorded 9.8 mm rainfall while Lodhi Road recorded 9.3 mm, Ridge 14.5, Ayanagar 7.4 mm and Palam recorded 7.7 mm, the IMD said.
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