Air pollution has once again taken center stage in the national capital, amid an alarming new report by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The data reveals that 17,188 people died in Delhi in 2023 owing to direct exposure to air pollution, making it a bigger cause of mortality compared to several traditional health risks.
That means out of every seven deaths, one was directly related to toxic air. An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air puts pollution as the cause for nearly 15% of total deaths recorded in Delhi in 2023.
PM2.5 Becomes Leading Mortality Risk In Delhi
According to the IHME report, PM2.5, the fine toxic pollutant particles in the air, continues to remain the highest cause of death in Delhi.
Alarmingly, the noxious air of the capital has passed all the conventional health risks of high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol to become the deadliest environmental hazard.
Based on the latest data for 2023, air pollution (specifically exposure to PM2.5) stands as the single most fatal health risk in Delhi, surpassing several conventional lifestyle-related ailments.
Air pollution was directly responsible for an estimated 17,188 deaths, accounting for nearly 15% of all fatalities in the capital.
This figure significantly outweighs other major causes of mortality, including High Blood Pressure, which caused 14,874 deaths (12.5% of the total).
Similarly, the death toll from air pollution was markedly higher than those attributed to High Blood Sugar (Diabetes), which resulted in 10,653 deaths (9%), High Cholesterol with 7,267 deaths (6%), and high Body-Mass Index (Obesity), which was linked to 6,698 deaths (5.6%).
The stark comparison highlights that the city’s toxic air is a more pressing public health crisis than many well-established chronic diseases.
A Public Health Emergency And WHO Standards
According to experts, Delhi’s air quality continues to worsen with each passing year, and PM2.5 levels are several times over the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Prolonged exposure has resulted in a sharp rise in lung diseases, heart ailments, strokes, and asthma cases, especially among children.
The CREA report highlights how pollution is no longer just an environmental issue but a growing public health emergency.
Call for Science-Based Policy, Strict Action
Experts have thus called for solid, science-based policies with strict enforcement to help protect Delhi from this emerging threat. Some of these include: Controlling industrial emissions. Stricter regulation on vehicular fumes is necessary. Expanding green zones. The report gives a grim warning that if immediate action is not taken, the death toll due to pollution in Delhi could become even more alarming in the coming years.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
