Combustion of coal has led to increase in premature mortality rate in India: Report

The combustion of coal, mainly in power plants followed by industrial and household settings, has resulted in an increase in the premature mortality rate in India and it needs to phase down from coal as its main source of energy and invest more on renewable and cleaner sources, according to the policy recommendations in “The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change” report.

Also, air pollution has been recognised as a major determinant for negative health outcomes in India.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish regulatory frameworks pertaining to the control of air pollution at the source of its generation such as industrial emissions, construction sites, vehicle exhaust etc., according to the recommendations mentioned in “The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change — Policy brief for India 2021”.

It is also necessary to ensure the effective implementation of these regulatory measures.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has partnered with the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change to put forward the policy brief for India in 2021. The report highlights how climate change affects health and the need for a timely and robust response for addressing the same, the apex health research body said.

Since 46 per cent of all agricultural emissions in India are contributed by ruminants such as goats, sheep and cattle