India, Oct. 1 -- Achieving a 30% reduction in PM2.5 levels could lower nationwide disease prevalence to 3.09% from the current average of 4.87%, according to a new Health Benefit Assessment Dashboard launched Tuesday by Climate Trends and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.

The dashboard, based on the 5th National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) covering 641 districts, identifies clear links between PM2.5 pollution and diseases such as hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), anaemia, heart disease, and diabetes among women of reproductive age (15-49 years). It also connects air pollution to anaemia, low birth weight, and lower respiratory infections among children under five.

The findings suggest that reduc...