Effects Of Air Pollution In Delhi

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Delhi made headlines in 2017 when it was ranked by World Health Organisation (WHO) as the 11th most polluted metropolis in the world. The capital city is blanked by a lethal smog, endangering the lives of 28 million inhabitants. The Air Quality Index indicated that Delhi has reached alarming level of PM 2.5 concentration of air pollutants per cubic metre (Smith,2017). The Indian Medical Association proclaimed a public health emergency describing the metropolis as a “gas chamber” (Mole,2017). Environmentalists found that harmful exhaust fumes from vehicles, poisonous smoke produced by coal- based power plants and dust from construction sites and road works have deteriorated the quality of air.

Air pollution is a major environmental issue because of irreversible repercussions and numerous costs and values involved. The “poisonous air” in the city caused many casualties, hence raising the value of statistical life (VSL) in Delhi. People are willing to pay a greater price to save one individual’s life and reduce the mortality rate. The air borne particles in the smog lead to innumerable patients suffering from chronic illnesses namely strokes, cancer and respiratory diseases. In 2017, the Indian government disbursed $140.7 billion on health costs namely expenditure on training doctors and the supply of medicines and surgical equipment (Nandi, 2017). The toxic smog results in premature deaths and births of underweight babies. OECD reports show that the costs of over a million

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