Air pollution in Indian districts has been found to exceed national standards, leading to an increased risk of death across all age groups. The risk rises by 86 per cent in newborns, 100-120 per cent in children under five years of age, and 13 per cent in adults, as per a study.
A group of researchers, including those at the International Institute for Population Sciences in Mumbai, examined the levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution across more than 700 districts. The data for the analysis was obtained from the National Family and Health Survey (fifth round) and the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).
The study revealed that in households without a separate kitchen, there is a higher likelihood of deaths among newborns and adults.
The authors of the study published in the journal GeoHealth said the chances "appeared to be almost two-fold and more than two-fold higher, respectively, among newborns and children aged under five in the districts of India where the PM2.5 concentration is up to the NAAQS level. "
Analysing the interaction between PM2.5 exceeding NAAQS (of 40 micrograms per cubic metre) and household air pollution, the team found that it substantially increased deaths among newborns by 19 per cent, children by 17 per cent and adults by 13 per cent.
"The results demonstrate that PM2.5 exhibits a stronger association with mortality across various life stages. Notably, when (household air pollution) is considered in conjunction with ambient pollution, this association is further heightened," the authors wrote.
The PM2.5 levels are typically elevated throughout the Indo-Gangetic Plain in northern India due to various factors, such as the burning of crop residues from agricultural practices and emissions from industrial centres and manufacturing hubs.
Additionally, the usage of clean fuel and separate kitchens in households is limited in the middle and lower regions of the plain and in districts of central India. Regions abundant in forests such as Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and other northeastern states offer easily accessible unclean fuel options like firewood, crop residue, and animal dung.
This study differs from previous ones by integrating pollution levels recorded in cities with district-level death estimates.
Data at the district level on PM2.5 pollution were extracted from the GAINS model, which is a tool available online and designed by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria. This model evaluates strategies to reduce emissions of various air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
The researchers emphasized that the results demonstrated the adverse effects of ambient and household air pollution on human health and mortality.
The scientists urged for increased awareness among individuals living in vulnerable areas, where the usage of clean fuel is low and separate kitchens within households are not common, as it is extremely essential for maintaining clean indoor air and health.
"Forgetting about WHO air quality guidelines, in India, policymakers should focus on reducing the anthropogenic PM2.5 emission at least to reach the NAAQS, which can substantially reduce disease burden and, more precisely, premature deaths," the authors wrote.
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