Breathe Easy India Protecting Respiratory Health

Air pollution is no longer an “environment” issue in isolation — it is a health issue that shortens lives, worsens chronic disease and increases illness across the life course.

- Dr. Chalapathy

2 December - National Pollution Control Day

The World Health Organization links short-term exposure to particulate matter and other pollutants with reduced lung function, aggravated asthma and more respiratory infections; long-term exposure raises risks of COPD, stroke, heart disease and lung cancer. Protecting respiratory health must sit at the centre of pollution control efforts.

The burden in India

India faces a heavy toll from polluted air. Analyses of national and global data estimate millions of premature deaths in the country each year and a large share of respiratory and cardiovascular disease attributable to poor air quality. Vulnerable groups — children, older adults, pregnant people, people with asthma, COPD or heart disease, outdoor workers and low-income households that use polluting household fuels — face the greatest risks. These realities make National Pollution Control Day an important moment to focus on prevention and mitigation.

Every year on 2 December - National Pollution Control Day - India remembers the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy and renews the call to prevent pollution in all its forms.

This day is more than a memorial: it's an annual reset for citizens, health workers, schools, workplaces and policymakers to address one of the country's most urgent publichealth crises - air pollution and protect the lungs and lives of millions.

How air pollution harms the lungs

• Particulate matter (PM2.5 / PM10) penetrates the airways; fine particles (PM2.5) can reach deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream.

• Ozone, NO, and SO₂ irritate the airways, trigger asthma attacks, and reduce exercise tolerance.

• Household smoke (biomass, coal, kerosene) raises pneumonia risk in young children and COPD in adults.