Delhi's Air Pollution Crisis: A Public Health Emergency

It’s been almost a decade since Delhi started turning into a gas chamber after Diwali. Air pollution continues to be the national capital’s biggest health threat, responsible for nearly 15 per cent of all deaths in 2023, according to an analysis of the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data. The findings, based on data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), reveal that around 17,188 deaths in Delhi last year were linked to exposure to fine particulate matter in the air. In other words, one out of every seven deaths in the city was caused by polluted air, as reported by PTI. Despite this alarming number, the central government maintains that there is no conclusive evidence directly linking deaths to air pollution. In a statement earlier this year, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that air pollution is “one of many contributing factors” affecting respiratory and related illnesses, adding that health outcomes are also influenced by food habits, socio-economic conditions, genetics, and lifestyle. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study is one of the world’s most comprehensive research projects, tracking causes of death and disease across age groups and countries. According to the new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), air pollution was the main reason for deaths in Delhi in 2023. It was followed by high blood pressure, which caused 14,874 deaths (12.5 per cent), high blood sugar or diabetes, responsible for 10,653 deaths (9 per cent), high cholesterol, which led to 7,267 deaths (6 per cent), and high body mass index or obesity, linked to 6,698 deaths (5.6 per cent). CREA researchers said that even though the exact numbers fluctuate each year, deaths linked to air pollution have remained consistently high, often exceeding those caused by hypertension or diabetes. ‘A public health crisis, not just an environmental issue’ “Air pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is a public health crisis that demands science-based action across all polluting sectors,” said Manoj Kumar, an analyst at CREA. “Unless Delhi’s air quality improves substantially, the health burden from pollution-related diseases, especially respiratory illnesses, heart disease, stroke and lung cancer, will continue to rise,” he added. Worrying upward trend over the years The data also shows a steady rise in deaths linked to pollution. Deaths due to air pollution increased from 15,786 in 2018 to 17,188 in 2023. In the same period, deaths linked to high blood pressure rose from 13,604 to 14,874, and those linked to diabetes from 8,938 to 10,653. According to CREA, there is an urgent need for stronger, sustained efforts to clean up the air in Delhi. “Effective air pollution control remains one of the most powerful public health interventions, it can reduce disease burden, improve quality of life, and add years to life expectancy for millions,” the organisation said. The warning as winter returns As winter sets in and pollution levels spike once again, experts warn that these numbers shows that without stronger policies and coordinated action, Delhi’s air could keep cutting lives short year after year.