If ever you needed quantification of how much pollution is harming you, here’s proof: Kolkata’s polluted air is reducing the lifespan of its citizens by as much as 3.5 years on an average, according to a study conducted at Chicago University.

The unique study – Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) – was unveiled on Monday in a presentation organized by the city-based Active Citizens Together for Sustainability (ACTS) and the Energy Policy Institute, University of Chicago (EPIC).

ACTS is a body that fights for environmental issues and awareness.

The study was conducted on data collected in 2016. Pollution levels have worsened since then, and experts have warned that had the study been conducted on subsequent years’ data, the negative impact on life expectancy would certainly have worked out to be much greater….