World Health Organisation (WHO) says around 98% children below 5 years of age in low as well as middle income countries like India are exposed to poisonous air. A study conducted by WHO says over 1 lakh children of the same age were killed due to air pollution in India in 2016.
Another report by social service organization named ‘Greenpeace’ showed a severe picture of country’s pollution. It must be noted that several states in northern India including the National Capital and adjoining areas are struggling with severe air pollution since past few days. The quality of air in Delhi has been the worst.
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The report further mentioned that 3 of the world's major nitrogen oxide air pollution emission hotspots are in India. The states with maximum level of air pollution in the country are Delhi-NCR, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh and Talcher-Angul in Odisha.
According to the WHO study, around 101,788 deaths under the age of 5, which included 54,893 girls and 46,895 boys in 2016, were reported because of air pollution. The report also noted that air pollution is one of the most important threats to child health, accounting for about 1 in 10 deaths in children below 5 years of age. Moreover, air pollution can also cause childhood cancers, poor lung function, pneumonia, asthma, and other types of acute lower respiratory diseases, report mentioned.
The WHO report titled 'Air Pollution and Child Health: Prescribing Clean Air' said that globally, almost 6 lakh children under the age of 15 lost their lives due to joint effects of ambient as well as household air pollution in 2016.
