Delhiites may lose 12 years of their lives due to pollution, according to a new study

A recent study has found Delhi to be the most polluted city in the world. Besides this, the study also says that 18 million residents of the National capital are on the verge of losing about 11.9 years of their lives due to this rising level of pollution.

The study also found that particulate pollution caused by tiny dirty air particles (PM2.5) make an average Indian person's life 5.3 years shorter. This is compared to what their life expectancy would be if the pollution limit of 5 μg/m3 set by the World Health Organization (WHO) was followed.

Even in the least polluted Indian town of Pathankot located in the state of Punjab, particulate pollution is seven times more than what is speculated by WHO. This is apparently because the area has almost three times the population density compared to the rest of the country. Hence, it results in higher pollution from vehicles, factories, and among others.

Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics and creator of AQLI said, "Three-quarters of air pollution's impact on global life expectancy occurs in just six countries; Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria and Indonesia, where people lose one to more than six years of their lives because of the air they breathe.”

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