Delhi-NCR residents lose over 8 years of life to toxic air, says study

According to the AQLI 2025 report, Indians breathe air worse than WHO's safe limits, losing 3.5 years of life expectancy, up to double in Delhi, Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh

Air pollution now India’s top health threat

 

Air pollution has emerged as India’s most severe health threat, reducing the country’s average life expectancy by 3.5 years, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025 report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC).

 

The study finds that toxic air robs Indians of nearly twice as many years as childhood and maternal malnutrition and more than five times the impact of unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing.

How much life are Indians losing to toxic air?

The report reveals that all 1.4 billion Indians live in areas where pollution levels exceed the World Health Organization’s safe limit of 5 µg/m³ for PM2.5. On average, dirty air is cutting 3.5 years off Indian lives.

 

In comparison:

• Malnutrition reduces life expectancy by 1.6 years
• Tobacco use by 1.5 years
• Unsafe water and sanitation by just 8.4 months

Northern India remains the most polluted region on Earth

According to the report, the northern belt is still the world’s most polluted zone, with 544.4 million people (38.9 per cent of India’s population) living under severe air pollution.

• Delhi-NCR is the worst hit, with residents facing a loss of 8.2 years in life expectancy (based on WHO’s standard). 
• Bihar: 5.6 years lost 
• Haryana: 5.3 years lost 
• Uttar Pradesh: 5 years lost

Even by India’s weaker PM2.5 standard of 40 µg/m³, Delhi-NCR residents would still lose 4.74 years of life expectancy.

Almost half of Indians live under unsafe national standards

Shockingly, the report notes that 46 per cent of Indians live in areas that exceed even India’s own PM2.5 standards.

 

If pollution levels were reduced to meet this national benchmark, Indians could gain an average of 1.5 years of life expectancy. Meeting WHO’s stricter 5 µg/m³ guideline could add up to 9.4 months even in cleaner regions.

South Asia breathes the world’s dirtiest air

The AQLI report underlines that South Asia is the most polluted region globally, with PM2.5 concentrations rising 2.8 per cent in 2023 after a brief dip in 2022.

Air pollution:

• Cuts 3 years off average life expectancy across the region 
• Reduces life by more than 8 years in the most affected zones 

Call for urgent intervention 

The report warns that without bold steps to reduce emissions, millions of Indians will continue to lose healthy years of life simply by breathing toxic air. 

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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.