'Pollution India's 2nd Biggest Health Hazard': Will Our Leaders Act?

A new survey published by the journal The Lancet reinforces what many had believed for a long time -- that air pollution is already having a serious impact for generations of Indians. The polluted air that millions breathe today is affecting their lifespan and quality of life. The Lancet report says pollution is India's second-biggest health hazard. In another study, and it's important to stress that the reports are not linked, an experienced doctor tells us that there is evidence that Indian children show lower lung growth than Caucasian children. It's all the same in terms of the size of the lung till the age of about 8, after which there is a change. By the time Indian children are adults, the lung size in both Indian men and women is about 10 per cent smaller. On The Buck Stops Here, we look at these two studies and ask our leaders whether they would act now.