Effects of air pollution on environment in india
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he 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranked India 141 out of 180 countries surveyed. EPI is unique in its approach because it incorporates many high-priority environmental issues, including resource consumption, depletion of environmental assets, pollution, and species loss among other important topics.
The EPI typically ranks countries on performance indicators tracked across policy categories that include both environmental public health (protection of human health) and ecosystem vitality (protection of ecosystems).
Within these two policy objectives, the EPI scores national performance in nine issue areas comprised of about 19 indicators.
Environment health, being the first policy objective, is given 50% weightage and it comprises 3 categories viz. health impacts, air quality and water and sanitation, each given 33% weightage in the score within; whereas ecosystem vitality, being the second policy objective, is again given 50% and it comprises 6 categories viz. water resources(25%), agriculture (10%), forests (10%), fisheries(5%), biodiversity & habitat(25%) and climate & energy(25%).
A very interesting observation is that China and India, despite having high GDP per PPP, have received low scores on the EPI. However, we will be focusing on the issue of air quality in the Indian context.
Study Of Air Quality In India
The open burning of waste is a large source of toxic air pollutants such as particulates, carbon monoxide, black carbon, dioxins, furans, and mercury. Air pollution in India is caused by fuelwood and biomass burning, burning of crop residue in agriculture fields on a large scale, use of adulterated fuel, emission from vehicles and traffic congestion.
India is the third largest in the emission of greenhouse gases after China and the United States. The severity of air pollution is so much that life expectancy among Indians on an average reduces by 3.4 years while among the residents of Delhi it reduces by almost 6.3 years.
In this section, we will assess the quality of air in India based on indicators like Household Air Quality and Outdoor Air Quality affected by PM10, PM2.5, Ozone (O3), Nitrogen oxides (NOX), Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Carbon monoxide (CO).
It has been found that, around the world, more deaths occur due to poor air quality than water. The World Health Organization (WHO) gives a guideline to measure air pollution in a region according to which it had fixed the limit of particulate matters in the air.

The World Health Organization considers air unsafe when average exposure to any of these matters exceeds the limit. According to the 2016 EPI, more than 3.5 billion people – half of the world’s population – are exposed to unsafe air quality which also includes 75% of India’s population.
However, Indian air quality standard limits the safe exposure to PM2.5 up to 40 μg/m3 and a recent study reveals that 50% population living in 45% districts of India is exposed at PM2.5 concentration beyond 40 μg/m3.The World Health Organization considers air unsafe when average exposure to any of these matters exceeds the limit. According to the 2016 EPI, more than 3.5 billion people – half of the world’s population – are exposed to unsafe air quality which also includes 75% of India’s population.
As some indicators are common for indoor as well as outdoor pollution, to understand clearly, we need to first know what these indicators really are.
Particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture consisting of varying combinations of dry solid fragments, solid cores with liquid coatings and small droplets of liquid. These tiny particles vary greatly in shape, size and chemical composition, and can be made up of many different materials such as metals, soot, soil, and dust.
The EPI typically ranks countries on performance indicators tracked across policy categories that include both environmental public health (protection of human health) and ecosystem vitality (protection of ecosystems).
Within these two policy objectives, the EPI scores national performance in nine issue areas comprised of about 19 indicators.
Environment health, being the first policy objective, is given 50% weightage and it comprises 3 categories viz. health impacts, air quality and water and sanitation, each given 33% weightage in the score within; whereas ecosystem vitality, being the second policy objective, is again given 50% and it comprises 6 categories viz. water resources(25%), agriculture (10%), forests (10%), fisheries(5%), biodiversity & habitat(25%) and climate & energy(25%).
A very interesting observation is that China and India, despite having high GDP per PPP, have received low scores on the EPI. However, we will be focusing on the issue of air quality in the Indian context.
Study Of Air Quality In India
The open burning of waste is a large source of toxic air pollutants such as particulates, carbon monoxide, black carbon, dioxins, furans, and mercury. Air pollution in India is caused by fuelwood and biomass burning, burning of crop residue in agriculture fields on a large scale, use of adulterated fuel, emission from vehicles and traffic congestion.
India is the third largest in the emission of greenhouse gases after China and the United States. The severity of air pollution is so much that life expectancy among Indians on an average reduces by 3.4 years while among the residents of Delhi it reduces by almost 6.3 years.
In this section, we will assess the quality of air in India based on indicators like Household Air Quality and Outdoor Air Quality affected by PM10, PM2.5, Ozone (O3), Nitrogen oxides (NOX), Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Carbon monoxide (CO).
It has been found that, around the world, more deaths occur due to poor air quality than water. The World Health Organization (WHO) gives a guideline to measure air pollution in a region according to which it had fixed the limit of particulate matters in the air.

The World Health Organization considers air unsafe when average exposure to any of these matters exceeds the limit. According to the 2016 EPI, more than 3.5 billion people – half of the world’s population – are exposed to unsafe air quality which also includes 75% of India’s population.
However, Indian air quality standard limits the safe exposure to PM2.5 up to 40 μg/m3 and a recent study reveals that 50% population living in 45% districts of India is exposed at PM2.5 concentration beyond 40 μg/m3.The World Health Organization considers air unsafe when average exposure to any of these matters exceeds the limit. According to the 2016 EPI, more than 3.5 billion people – half of the world’s population – are exposed to unsafe air quality which also includes 75% of India’s population.
As some indicators are common for indoor as well as outdoor pollution, to understand clearly, we need to first know what these indicators really are.
Particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture consisting of varying combinations of dry solid fragments, solid cores with liquid coatings and small droplets of liquid. These tiny particles vary greatly in shape, size and chemical composition, and can be made up of many different materials such as metals, soot, soil, and dust.
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Air pollution caused lots of problem especially in a developing country like India
Poisonous gasses released from the chambers of the industries caused air pollution as well as its effects are also seen on famous buildings and one of the famous building is The Taj Mahal. Many news challenges, magazines etc also talked about this fact but none is done to prevent it. Environmental changes started occurring and acid rain occur which causes major destruction to plants as well as human beings. It causes many skin problems as well. In rainy season rain does not occur leading to acute water shortages in many parts of the country.
Poisonous gasses released from the chambers of the industries caused air pollution as well as its effects are also seen on famous buildings and one of the famous building is The Taj Mahal. Many news challenges, magazines etc also talked about this fact but none is done to prevent it. Environmental changes started occurring and acid rain occur which causes major destruction to plants as well as human beings. It causes many skin problems as well. In rainy season rain does not occur leading to acute water shortages in many parts of the country.
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