Air Pollution and Health in India: A review of the current evidence and opportunities for the future

Air pollution is a major and growing risk factor for ill health in India, contributing significantly to the country’s burden of disease. As per the Global Burden of Disease comparative risk assessment for 2015, air pollution exposure contributes to approximately 1.8 million premature deaths and 49 million disability adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost, ranking it among the top risk factors for ill health in India. Home to 10 of the top 20 cities with the highest annual average levels of PM2.5 as per the WHO Urban Ambient Air Quality Database (2016)1, and with several studies showing a worsening trend over time2,3, it is safe to say that rapid urbanization and industrial development have adversely affected urban air quality due to vehicular and industrial emissions. Simultaneously, over two-thirds of rural Indians caught in the ‘chulha trap’ use biomass fuels such as wood, dung or coal to satisfy their cooking and heating needs, resulting in smoke-filled homes and extremely high levels of exposure especially to women and children.