📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sumita Roy Dutta
Health
India's Toxic Air: Air Pollution Costs Economy ₹20 Lakh Crore Annually
✍️ Aaj Tak
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 07:33 AM
👁 19
India's air pollution, dominated by PM2.5 particles, is projected to inflict an annual economic loss of about ₹20 lakh crore, according to Aaj Tak.
PM2.5, particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers, can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, posing risks to heart and respiratory health.
Aaj Tak reports that the annual economic damage from air pollution in India is estimated at roughly ₹20 lakh crore, a figure that reflects the cost of illness, lost workdays and reduced productivity.
The high concentration of fine particles in urban centres has led to increased hospital admissions and higher healthcare spending, while workers exposed to polluted air often miss days of work, further eroding the economy.
The estimate highlights the urgency for stricter pollution controls and public health measures to protect both the population and the nation’s economic wellbeing.
Aaj Tak reports that the annual economic damage from air pollution in India is estimated at roughly ₹20 lakh crore, a figure that reflects the cost of illness, lost workdays and reduced productivity.
The high concentration of fine particles in urban centres has led to increased hospital admissions and higher healthcare spending, while workers exposed to polluted air often miss days of work, further eroding the economy.
The estimate highlights the urgency for stricter pollution controls and public health measures to protect both the population and the nation’s economic wellbeing.