Hyderabad: Air pollution can be linked to nearly 3700 premature deaths and 2.8 lakh asthma attacks in Hyderabad city in one year, claimed a new study. Researchers assessed that amount of pollution load in the city in one year and estimated the death toll due to it.
The World Health Organisation had, earlier this year, said that air pollution exposure resulted in as many as 70 lakh premature deaths.
Air pollution is thought to be a real threat and WHO has said that it is the single largest environmental risk. Reducing air pollution could save millions of lives, WHO said. Studies pertaining to air pollution have been ongoing in the city to calculate the amount of air pollution.
A new study conducted by environmentalist Dr Sarath K. Guttikunda, affiliate associate research professor, Desert Research Institute, USA, with data from the AP Pollution Control Board, claims that particulate matter of size less than 10 micrometers and 2.5 micrometers resulted in the premature deaths of 3,700 persons and about 2.8 lakh asthma attacks in the year 2010-11 in the GHMC area.
“The source apportionment study in Hyderabad listed transportation, industries, and waste burning as critical sources of particulate matter (PM) pollution in the city,” the study said.
Dr Guttikonda’s study was published in Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health in its June 2014 issue.
