India has 2nd highest deaths due to air pollution: WHO

India is the second deadliest country for outdoor air pollution in the world, with 6,21,138 deaths happening due to air pollution in the country in 2012, according to the World Health Organisation. Also, India averages at 49 deaths per 1,00,000 capita due to air pollution. Notably, China tops the WHO list with 10,32,833 deaths recorded due to air pollution. it reveals that of the worst three

nations, more than 1 million people died from dirty air in China in 2012, at least 600,000 in India and more than 140,000 in Russia. At 25th out of 184 countries with data, the UK ranks worse than France, with 16,355 deaths in 2012 versus 10,954, but not as poorly as Germany at 26,160, which has more industry and 16 million more people. Australia had 94 deaths and 38,043 died in the US that year from particulate pollution. Maria Neria, director of the WHO’s public health and the environment department said  “Countries are confronted with the reality of better data. Now we have the figures of how many citizens are dying from air pollution. What we are learning is, this is very bad. Now there are no excuses for not taking action.”