JAIPUR: Over 90 thousand deaths in 2017 in Rajasthan were linked to air pollution. Rajasthan has reported highest death rate per one lakh population, which is 112.5, attributable to air pollution.The average life expectancy in Rajasthan would have been 2.5 years higher, which is the highest in the country, if the air pollution levels were less than the minimal level — shows the first comprehensive estimates of deaths, disease burden, and life expectancy reduction associated with air pollution in each state of India, released by the Indian Council of Medical Research on Thursday.If the exposure to ambient particulate matter pollution had been lower than the minimum levels associated with health loss, the average life expectancy would have increased in Rajasthan by 1.1 years.If the exposure to household air pollution due to solid fuels had been lower than the minimum levels associated with health loss, the average life expectancy would have increased in Rajasthan by one year, which is the highest in the country.Rajasthan is one of the states having highest levels of both ambient particulate matter and household air pollution. In Rajasthan, Jharkhand and West Bengal, the annual exposure to ambient particulate matter, as the population-weighted mean PM2.5 in 2017, was ranging between 81.4 microgram per metre cube to 93.4 microgram per metre cube. In India, it was 89.9 microgram per metre cube.The report, published in Lancet Journal, says that the proportion of the population using solid fuels in the country in 2017 was 55.5%. This proportion was highest in the low socio-demographic index (SDI) state group (72.1%) and highest in the low SDI states of Bihar , Jharkhand and Odisha (range 76.7% to 81.5%), followed by Chhattisgarh , Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in the low SDI state group range (68% to 74.8%).Dr Virendra Singh, from Asthma Bhawan, who was the only participant from the state said, “The highest death rate in India due to pollution was in Rajasthan. As many as 112.5 per lakh population died due to pollution in Rajasthan, while in Kerala, it was 79 per lakh. It is because Rajasthan has both indoor and outdoor pollution.”Average one year of life is lost due to pollution in Kerala, while 2.5 years’ life is lost in Rajasthan. “Just to have an idea by comparison, high BP reduces average age by five years and diabetes reduces life expectancy by 10 years,” said Dr Singh.

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