Highlighting the issue of hazards of air pollution in South Asia's developing countries, a report published on Tuesday (August 29) said that the rising air pollution is responsible for cutting short the lives of people of South Asia for an average of five years. Another worrisome data mentioned in the report is that India is responsible for about 59 percent of World's increase in pollution since the year 2013.
The report also mentions how high levels of air pollution in the most polluted regions in India poses the risk of cuttng short the average life span of Indians. The study was conducted by University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) as part of institute's latest report on Air Quality Life Index.
South Asian Countries at risk
The South Asia region includes some of the most polluted countries in the world, namely - Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal. These four countries together account for more than half of the total life years lost or cutting short lives globally due to air pollution.
The two main factors responsible for the hazardous levels of air pollution in these countries is rampant industrialisation and urbanisation as well as increasing population.
Situation has worsened significantly
Compared to the start of the century, the air pollution levels in these South Asian countries has gone up by more than 50 percent, offering an insight into the level of degradation and deterioration of air quality in the region, which has dense population.
Mention of Delhi and Bangladesh
Bangladesh is the most polluted country in the world when it comes to air quality and Delhi finds a mention for being the worst hit cities when it comes to people losing lives due to increasing air pollution and hazardous air quality. In another shocking fact, the report mentions how people in Delhi face the risk of having their lives cut short by an average of 10 years due to the hazardous air quality and severe air pollution.
