Light pollution a cause for concern in India

March 29, 2019

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