National News : Pollution caused by bursting of firecrackers during Diwali is a hot topic every year, but the dangers of air pollution are not limited to festivals. According to the State of Global Air 2025 report, around 8 million people worldwide died due to air pollution in 2023. Of these, approximately 20.06 lakh deaths occurred in India alone. This means that nearly one out of every four deaths caused by pollution worldwide occurred in India. These figures show how serious a health problem air pollution has become in the country.
Many factors are responsible for pollution in the country
Pollution in India is caused by many factors, including emissions from vehicles and industries, coal-fired power plants, agricultural activities, and burning of solid fuels in households. The effects of pollution can be particularly severe on children, the elderly and pregnant women. Fine particles like PM2.5 damage the lungs, heart and brain. Prolonged exposure to polluted air increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and lung cancer.
causes air pollution in India
Vehicle fumes and stubble burning are not the only culprits behind India's air pollution problem. According to the State of Global Air 2025, the main sources of PM2.5 pollution include vehicles, household fuels, coal-fired power plants, agricultural and industrial activities, waste burning and forest fires. According to the report, South Asia is projected to be the region with the highest PM2.5 pollution in the world in 2023. India is also among the countries with the highest pollution load in the region.
Cooking in homes also emits toxic fumes
Household air pollution is a major cause of pollution in India. Smoke from cooking using solid fuels like wood, coal and dung is harmful to people's health. According to the report, smoke from solid fuel used for cooking in India contributes about 30% of the PM2.5 pollution outside the country.
Children and the elderly are most vulnerable
Polluted air affects people of all ages, but children and the elderly are more vulnerable. According to reports, children's lungs and other body organs are not fully developed. Their airways are also smaller, so the inflammatory effects caused by polluted air can be more severe. Exposure to pollution during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies. Meanwhile, pollution increases the risk of heart and lung diseases in the elderly. Globally, approximately 5 million deaths of people over 70 years of age in 2023 were linked to air pollution.
Affects not only the lungs, but also the heart and brain
The effects of air pollution are not limited to respiratory diseases. According to the report, fine particles of PM2.5, after reaching the lungs, can travel to other parts of the body through the bloodstream, increasing inflammation and oxidative stress. Long-term exposure to polluted air can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and lung cancer.
For the first time, the report also includes the impact of pollution on dementia, a disease that affects memory and thinking ability. Air pollution is estimated to be responsible for approximately 62.6 million dementia-related deaths worldwide in 2023.