Air pollution causes five million deaths each year in India: minister

Air pollution causes five million deaths each year in India: minister

Mon Dec 6, 2:48 PM ET South Asia - AFP

AGRA, India (AFP) - As many as five million deaths are caused by air pollution every year in India, the country's junior Environment and Forest Minister Namo Narayan Meena said.

"The air quality has been threatened to alarming levels in several cities in India," Meena told the annual "Better Air Quality" conference.

Rapid industrial growth and streets choked with cars put Asian cities among the worst in the world, said Michael Carter, World Bank (news - web sites) country director in India, on the opening day of the global environment meeting.

"There are about five million premature deaths each year in India because of the polluted air we breathe. It is also estimated that in India there are about 40 million asthmatic patients, mainly because of the polluted air," Meena said.

According to a joint World Bank and Asian Development Bank study of air pollution for 20 major Asian cities between 2000 and 2003, the level of suspended particulate matter considered the most dangerous pollutant was above World Health Organisation (WHO) mandated safety limits in at least 10.

New Delhi topped the list with spikes of between 350 and 800 micrograms of suspended particulates per cubic metre. The WHO recommends less than 50 micrograms.

Other Indian cities such as Bombay, Calcutta and Pune have air which falls well below safety limits for all key pollutants -- carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide as well as suspended particulates.

"It is estimated that about 60 to 70 percent of air pollution in India is due to motor vehicles," said Meena.

"Realising the urgent need to control vehicular pollution, a road map has been drawn for tighter emission norms and fuel quality improvement," he added.

India boasts 66 million vehicles on the roads, with seven million added just last year, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Nearly 10,000 new cars jostle for space in New Delhi every month.

Officials at the conference said it was difficult to say if Mexico City or New Delhi should be classed the most polluted in the world because of monthly variations.

The minister also told the global environment meeting taking place in the silhouette of the Taj Mahal that the famous marble monument of love built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal was at risk.

"The Taj Mahal is also at risk from air pollution and realising this the government of India has created the Taj Trapezium Pollution Control Authority," said Meena.

"An amount of about 130 million dollars has been approved for environmental protection of the Taj Mahal and its environs. An environment management plan was drafted for (the Taj city of) Agra in January 2002," he added.