Lancet report says 1.24 lakh deaths in India caused due to indoor air pollution

New Delhi: According to a report by Lancet, a renowned medical journal, nearly 1.24 lakhs deaths across India in 2015 have been linked to indoor air Pollution.

The count stated is higher than the deaths caused by Pollution released from coal power plants which accounted nearly 80,368 fatalities and around 95,800 fatalities in other industries.

In all the three cases, pollutants measuring 2.5 microns or less have been emitted.

Lancet has recently released a report on Tuesday which highlights the impact of Climatic change on people. Factors under discussion of the report ranged from temperature-related illnesses and worsening air quality to frequent climactic disasters and changes in disease patterns.

Starting from 6 November, the countries from around the world are scheduled to hold a meeting at Bonn in Germany to discuss the climate negotiations.

The report highlights the need for climate policies that will help to curb air pollution besides considering other factors responsible for greenhouse gas emissions such as thermal power plants which also affect air quality.

The report read as, “Increased access to clean fuels and clean energy technologies will have the dual benefit of reducing indoor air pollution exposure and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions through the displacement of fossil fuels”.

Nearly 4.3 million preventable deaths have been caused yearly due to various diseases such as pneumonia, stroke, lung cancer, heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease all due to Indoor air pollution.

Use of polluting fuel sources such as wood, charcoal, animal dung are various causes of household pollution in India especially in the rural areas which constantly expose nearly 800 million people mostly women to these high levels of pollutants in these domestic practices.

Radha Muthiah, CEO of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves at a conference said, “By working to deliver universal access to cleaner cooking fuels, India is taking a significant step towards addressing air quality issues and improving health, while continuing to serve as an example… that cooking no longer kills”.

Primary greenhouse gas – Carbon dioxide has reached its highest levels ever recorded in the past 8,000 centuries stated the World Meteorological Organisation’s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.