In a shocking development, India overtook China in the number of deaths caused due to air pollution in the year 2015.
According to a study by Greenpeace, India has recorded a steady increase in the number of air pollution deaths in the past decade.
The study showed a continuous increase in the number of premature deaths in India since 1990. In 2015, India witnessed 3,283 premature deaths per day, whereas China had 3,233 deaths.
“It clearly indicates that China’s strong measures to tackle pollution have contributed to the year-on-year air quality improvement on record, while in contrast, India’s pollution levels have increased over the past decade. This study must be taken seriously as this a testimony of deterioration of ambient air quality in India and immediate actions must be taken by the concerned authorities,” Sunil Dahiya of Greenpeace India says in the report.
He added that China adopted a strict policy to control emission standards for thermal power plants in 2011, and a coordinated action plan in 2013, which led to the reduction in pollution levels, eventually halting the increase in air pollution deaths.
Here is a list of infographics from the report which show how bad India fares in comparison to China:
Illustrations showing pollution levels over the years:
Comparison with US and EU
India’s most polluted cities
Change in average particle pollution in 10 years