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Picture Courtesy: Down to Earth

Context:

People living in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP)—spanning northern India, eastern Pakistan, southern Nepal, and most of Bangladesh—lose about seven years of life expectancy compared to those living elsewhere.

Current Status:

According to State of Global Air (SOGA) 2024 report;

• In 2021, air pollution was the second biggest killer globally, after high blood pressure.
• It caused 1 million deaths, of which 2.6 million were in South Asia.
• India alone recorded 2.1 million deaths, including 237,000 due to ozone pollution.
• Over 700,000 children under five died from air pollution-related causes.
• 5 (tiny particles under 2.5 microns) remains the main culprit behind over 90% of pollution-related diseases.
• Between 2005 and 2018, over 100,000 premature deaths occurred in India’s largest cities due to long-term PM2.5 exposure.
• Household air pollution still contributes up to 30% of outdoor air pollution.
• Delhi reports the highest cancer rates among children in India. 

Why children are the worst sufferer?

• Children breathe twice as fast as adults, inhaling more toxins.
• Their lungs and immune systems are still developing.
• 5 particles can enter the bloodstream and brain, causing long-term harm.

Neurodevelopmental and Physical Effects

• Exposure to pollutants affects learning, memory, and attention.
• Increases blood pressure and risk of congenital heart defects.
• Reduces lung capacity and increases infections.

Gut and Immune Health

• Polluted air alters gut bacteria, raising risks of allergies, obesity, and diabetes.
• Air pollution in childhood may trigger early puberty in girls. 

Linkages between Air Pollution and Child Mortality:

Exposure Begins Before Birth: Polluted air affects both maternal and foetal health. Tiny particles like PM2.5 and harmful gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) can cross the placenta and enter the baby’s bloodstream. This exposure interferes with foetal growth, leading to:

• Low birthweight
• Premature birth
• Stillbirths
• Underdeveloped lungs and organs

Neonatal and Infant Vulnerability: After birth, children continue to inhale polluted air at a much higher rate relative to their body weight. Their respiratory systems are smaller and more fragile, and they breathe faster than adults. Pollutants like PM2.5, black carbon, and ozone can easily enter deep into their lungs and bloodstream, causing:

• Pneumonia and acute respiratory infections
• Reduced lung function
• Increased susceptibility to asthma and allergies

Household Air Pollution: In many low- and middle-income countries, household air pollution from burning solid fuels for cooking is a hidden but deadly factor. In poorly ventilated homes, children are constantly exposed to smoke containing fine particles and toxic gases. This exposure has been linked to:

• Severe pneumonia
• Stunted growth
• Weakened immunity 

What are the challenges in reversing the trend?

Rapid Urbanisation and Industrial Growth

• Cities are expanding faster than their infrastructure can handle.
• Growing industries, construction, and transport systems produce massive emissions.
• Urban planning often ignores green zones, public transport, and emission controls, worsening pollution levels.

A report titled “What are the Critical Challenges in India’s Air Quality Monitoring Framework?” outlines how some monitoring stations are poorly sited (e.g., in low‑pollution zones, behind obstructions), suffer downtime due to power/outage issues, and lack staff capacity. Source: cseindiaa.org)

Dependence on Fossil Fuels and Dirty Energy

• Coal remains a major source of electricity in many countries, especially India and China. Around 70% of India’s electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, making coal the backbone of the country’s energy sector.
• Diesel is widely used for vehicles, generators, and agriculture.
• The transition to renewable energy and cleaner fuels is slow because it requires high upfront costs and policy support. 

Agricultural Practices and Crop Residue Burning

• In the Indo-Gangetic Plain, farmers burn crop residues to quickly clear fields for the next sowing season. For e.g. crop residue burning caused an estimated 44,000‑98,000 premature deaths annually due to PM2.5 exposure.
• Although alternatives exist (like bio-decomposers or machinery), they are expensive and poorly promoted.
• Crop burning contributes heavily to seasonal spikes in PM2.5 and smog, especially in winter. 

Weak Enforcement of Environmental Regulations

• Environmental laws exist, but implementation is inconsistent.
• Industries often violate emission norms due to weak monitoring and corruption.
• Local authorities may lack technical capacity and funding to enforce pollution standards.

CAG Report: A CAG audit of Delhi’s vehicle‑pollution control found over 1.08 lakh vehicles were issued ‘Pollution Under Control’ (PUC) certificates despite emitting beyond permissible limits.

Cross-Border Pollution and Regional Coordination

• Air pollution doesn’t respect political boundaries.
• Emissions from one state or country can drift into another.
• Lack of regional cooperation between neighbouring states and nations makes it difficult to control pollution collectively.

CAG Report: A Supreme Court order (1998) requiring two new inter‑state bus terminals (ISBTs) to reduce diesel bus entry was not complied with even by 2021. 

How could we reverse the trend?

• Strengthening Regulatory Enforcement: Strict enforcement of existing laws like the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and vehicular emission norms.

Evidence: Delhi’s odd-even vehicle scheme (2016) temporarily reduced PM₂. ₅ by 10–15% in winter. 

• Transition to Cleaner Energy: Accelerate renewable energy adoption, retrofit coal plants, incentivize low-emission technologies.

Case Study: Closing or retrofitting coal-fired power plants in India could have saved 720,000 lives over a decade. 

• Controlling Agricultural Pollution: Crop residue burning is a major source of winter smog in Northern India.

Evidence: Punjab and Haryana implemented mechanized “Happy Seeder” programs.

Result: Reduction in stubble burning incidents by 20–30% in pilot districts.  

• Promoting Clean Household Energy: Ensure affordability, supply chains, and adoption of clean cooking fuels nationwide.

Case Study: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (LPG connections for rural households) significantly reduced indoor and ambient PM₂.₅.  

Conclusion:

Air pollution is a pressing environmental and public health challenge, contributing significantly to respiratory diseases, child mortality, and overall morbidity. Its causes are multifaceted—ranging from industrial emissions and vehicular exhaust to coal dependence and agricultural practices like crop residue burning. While policies, technology, and community-level interventions have shown success in certain regions, persistent challenges such as weak regulation enforcement, economic constraints, and behavioural barriers hinder progress. Combating air pollution effectively requires integrated strategies that combine stricter regulations, clean energy transition, sustainable agricultural practices, public awareness, and robust monitoring to safeguard health and ensure environmental sustainability. 

Source: Down to Earth