Thank you, Gita

 

This year, the annual World Economic Forum at Davos was running to script for India. Several ministers and Chief Ministers from India were strutting around in colonial hangover bandhgalas and suit-ties including one minister who has banned them; their wives were frolicking around in snow and getting massive coverage by godi media back home; some of the dignitaries had ostensibly gone all the way there to sign MoUs with business leaders from India, that too from their own state; and so on. Until suddenly, out of the blue, in a panel discussion, a reputed Indian-American Harvard professor and former Deputy Managing Director of IMF proclaimed that pollution was a far bigger economic problem for India than any tariffs. This got the hackles up for the "digital swarm." 

“Gita Gopinath is working to halt India’s rise and shaming it at WEF, as if in the cause of Pollution. A hard-working country of your own origins, with no shame." "Gita Gopinath is WEF shill. They want to impose arbitrary emission norms on developing economy like India. Relating tariffs to civic issue like air pollution is most dishonest trick." "She’s a Pakistani agent disguised as the IMF Chief." 

Just a few comments from the swarmy army. I’m not quoting the filthy personal ones here. 

I fail to understand how Gita’s was a statement against India. On the contrary, India (and the world) should be grateful to her for highlighting something which has a huge adverse impact and which has stayed quite under the radar for a while. If anything, it was cocking a snook at Trump who is obsessed with tariffs which are actually a lesser problem for India. 

Gita was probably referring only to air pollution. However, all the three types of pollution, air, water and noise are a serious problem for India and its economic growth. 

Air pollution causes 1.7 million deaths in India annually, i.e., 18 % of total deaths and 4,658 deaths per day. Gita mentioned these figures, quoting a World Bank study. The annual cost to the economy is USD 150 billion, i.e., 9.5 % of GDP, due to pollution related disease and premature death. The cost to Indian businesses is estimated at USD 95 billion. Due to smog, especially in the north, India loses substantial tourism. Air pollution is associated with heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and lung cancer. Air pollution reduces crop yield by hindering photosynthesis. It also contributes to corrosion and degradation of infrastructure and machinery. 

Water pollution is linked to 38 million cases of water-borne diseases annually in India, killing 1.5 million children. The diseases include Typhoid, Cholera and Hepatitis. In Delhi, water pollution reduces life expectancy by up to 12 years. Water pollution leads to eutrophication, a process where excessive nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, promote the overgrowth of algae in water bodies. This algal bloom depletes oxygen levels, leading to the untimely death of fish and the creation of "dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive. The cost of water pollution in India exceeds USD 80 billion annually. In the affected areas, agricultural revenue gets reduced by around 9 % and crop yields by around 16 %. The fisheries industry loses USD 2.2 billion annually. Water pollution costs India 3 % of its GDP annually. 

Noise pollution is an almost invisible hazard/ killer which also has far-reaching consequences for health, productivity and economy. Long-term exposure to high noise which most urban population in India is subjected to leads to permanent hearing loss (currently at 6 % of the population) – people between 12-35 years are particularly vulnerable. It also leads to cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues and sleep disruption with attendant fatigue and reduced productivity. A 5-decibel increase in noise is associated with a 34 % increase in the illnesses. In India, transportation noise alone costs the GDP a 2 % reduction. 

An important aspect of the cost of pollution is its asymmetric impact – while the rich reap the benefits of things like air conditioners, climate, water and noise control mechanisms at their disposal and the industrial growth, the poor bear the brunt of it in reduced livelihood and habitat, lack of paid sick leave or healthcare privilege and exposure to unconscionable levels of pollution. As such, costs of pollution are compared to a “regressive tax.” 

Look at the cost in terms of investment inflows. Many big investors are very conscious of social responsibilities and do not like to invest in India. India has only 10 ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) funds compared to U.S. or U.K. which have over 500 such funds each. Even a small country like Taiwan has more ESG funds. Plus, as Gita pointed out, international investors don’t like to live or commit manpower in a place like India. This statement seems to have riled the "digital swarm" no end. But, look at the reality. World no. 2 badminton player, Anders Antonsen refused to participate in India Open championship (held on January 13-18, 2026) due to “extreme pollution” in Delhi and opted to pay the fine instead. He was complaining at AQI of 348 while Delhi regularly breaches the 1,000 AQI mark. That is the real shame. 

What we should do is applaud Gita Gopinath for pointing out that pollution is not merely an activist issue; it’s an economic issue. It’s also a health issue. It’s actually an existential issue. We should stop ourselves and our own children from being exposed to it. By demanding - and forcing - strict accountability from the government. 

Thank you, Gita.