The Cost Of Working Through Smog: Inside India's $85-Billion Productivity Crisis

Every time an employee walks into an office coughing, struggling with a headache or feeling unusually tired, the cost of air pollution may already be showing up in the company's balance sheet.It may not appear as a separate expense. There may be no medical bill charged directly to the employer or a sick leave application to flag the problem.

But when workers struggle to perform at their best, businesses pay a price.India's air pollution crisis is increasingly becoming a productivity problem. And the economic cost is staggering.

A new report by Dalberg Advisors and the Clean Air Fund estimates that reducing air pollution by around 20 per cent could help India avert nearly $85 billion in annual economic losses by 2030.The damage is not restricted to hospitals, healthcare expenses or days lost to illness.