Light pollution can come in forms such as glare, light trespass
and sky glow in addition to over-illumination and clutter. The damaging effects
of light pollution on human and ecosystem health are being increasingly
acknowledged worldwide.
With our sleep-wake rhythm synced to the day-night cycle,
excessive artificial illumination can disrupt health contributing to poor
sleep, obesity, diabetes, certain cancers and mood disorders.
According to a study published in the Urban Climate journal in January
2019, the brightness from outdoor lights is on a steady rise in various parts
of India over a 20-year period. The findings state that Telangana,
Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh experienced increase in “very high
light pollution intensity” from 1993 to 2013.
In states such as West Bengal, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, outdoor
brightness due to artificial lights, transitioned from low to high in 20 years
according to the study.
Urban expansion, cropping up of new suburban residential areas
and industrial and agricultural development are attributed to increasing
brightness as mentioned in the study.
The study can be found on https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212095518303717