Abstract

It is very common to witness vehicles whizzing throughout the day in every Indian city today, leaving behind a trail of smoke. Air pollution is a major and growing risk factor for ill health in India, contributing significantly to the country’s burden of disease. As per the Global Burden of Disease comparative risk assessment for 2015, air pollution exposure contributes to approximately 1.8 million premature deaths and 49 million disability adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost, ranking it among the top risk factors for ill health in India by the end of 2020. It is observed that air pollution exposure slows lung development in children, affects cognitive development, and has resulted in high levels of mortality from respiratory infections. The elderly segment is more likely to develop chronic respiratory and cardiac illnesses as a result of long-term exposure and are more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes during episodic high pollution events.
Conventional motor vehicles with high fuel economy is the most cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector. As part of their contribution to sustainable transport, these vehicles reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. But all of these is for the short term. Now just imagine, if these vehicles were to be replaced by cycles. Air pollution would be greatly reduced, vehicular traffic on the roads would decline. These environment-friendly cycles are the need of the hour with vehicular pollution posing a serious health hazard. They can prove to be sustainable, green and better versions of transportation.

Key words: Air pollution, disability adjusted life-years (DALYs), gas emissions