India should take urgent action to tackle air pollution: WHO

India should take “urgent action” to tackle air pollution as the levels of toxic air in many cities of the country are much higher than the recommended guidelines, which could have a major impact on people’s health, WHO Director Maria Neira said.

Several studies conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), Centre for

Science and Environment and others published in journals such as The Lancet have linked pollution with premature deaths in India.

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar recently told the Parliament that there was no Indian study to show any correlation between pollution and shortening of lifespan.

“The studies conducted in India have not shown a direct correlation of shortening of life because of pollution. Let us not create a fear psychosis among people,” the minister told the House.

When asked to comment on the minister’s speech in the Lok Sabha, Neira told PTI “a very strong scientific evidence is telling us that exposure to air pollution is having a major impact on people’s health.”

“Independently of which methodology is used or what are the estimates, it is urgent to take action because the levels of air pollution in certain cities in India are very high, and this is definitely having impact on people’s health,” Neira noted.

“Therefore, we urge governments to take measures to reduce pollution, to reduce the massive damage this pollution is causing to health of their citizens, particularly in those cities where the levels of air pollution are far beyond those guidelines recommended by the WHO,” she said.