Expert - Air Quality in Delhi

Rain lashed parts of Delhi on Tuesday as the air quality remained in the “very poor” category in several areas of the national capital. (Hindustan Times) The air quality in Delhi, the capital territory of India, is the worst of any major city in the world, according to a WHO survey of 1650 world cities.  Air pollution in India is estimated to kill about 2.5 million people every year, and is the fifth largest killer in India.  In Delhi, poor air quality  irreversibly damages the lungs of 2.2 million or 50 percent of all children. (Wikipedia) 

Here is a McGill expert who can comment on this issue:

Dr. Kakali Mukhopadhyay, a Senior Associate (Academic and Research) at the Agricultural Economics Program under the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at McGill University, has written extensively about air pollution and health in India.

"While Delhi attracts those seeking jobs, quality education or merely the buzz of the national capital, it carries with it the increasing medical expenses and huge investments in air conditioners and air purifiers. The implications are far fetched, encompassing on economic, social terms and environment terms. The solutions lie not in short term but in long term policies which target the sustainable reduction in pollution levels with improved standard of living for people, maintaining the social and economic equity in the society."

kakali.mukhopadhyay [at] mcgill.ca (English)