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‘No Indian study links pollution to mortality’
Why in news?
- There were no Indian studies that showed a “direct correlation” between pollution & mortality, said Environment Minister in Lok Sabha.
More in news
- India State Level Disease Burden Initiative (ISLDBI): Last year had reported that 1 in 8 deaths in India were attributable to air pollution and that the average life expectancy in India would have been 1.7 years higher if air pollution levels were less than the minimal level causing health loss.
- Funded by Centre
(1) ISLDBI studies are funded by Union Health Ministry & involve Public Health Foundation of India, Indian Council of Medical Research & Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
(2) They were part of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 and appeared in the peer-reviewed Lancet Planetary Health.
- Observation by the Environment Minister in Lok Sabha:
(1) Studies by various institutes were not based on “first generation data” and authors came to their conclusion based on “secondary data” that relied on modelling studies.
(2) The studies conducted in India have not shown a direct correlation of shortening of life because of pollution.
- Report for 20-city(study beagan last year) may be out next year in Jan will cover:
(1) The extent to which exposure to air pollution is correlated with respiratory diseases.
(2) Whether pregnant women exposed to polluted air made their foetuses and babies more vulnerable to birth defects.
Sources
The Hindu