A recent report by Greenpeace India indicates that 12 lakh people in India die due to air pollution annually. The report says that there is only a fraction less than the death caused by the tobacco use. According to the report, fossil fuels are the main reason behind this problem. “If the country’s development is important, fighting air pollution has to be a priority,” the report said.
Sunil Dahiya, campaigner, Greenpeace India said that air pollution was a national public health crisis and almost none of the cities have bothered to keep air pollution in check. “Our pollution reduction strategies need to be much more ambitious, systematic and with focused targets with clear timelines. Accountability and compliance mechanism should be in place, with no leniency towards the fossil fuel dependent sectors such as power and transport.” says the Report.
According to the report, Delhi is the most polluted city in the country. The report says that only a few cities in India comply with air quality standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
“India’s pollution trends have been steadily increasing, with India overtaking China in the number of deaths due to outdoor air pollution in 2015. India’s deteriorating air quality demands an urgent robust monitoring system,” said Dahiya. Greenpeace India gathered the information based on the online reports and the Right To Information (RTI) applications from the State Pollution Control Boards across the country.
