With the world Health Organisation (WHO) ranking Delhi as the world's worst city for air pollution, experts are calling for an urgent action plan to combat respiratory diseases, lung cancer, heart ailments and more. A study on urban air quality by the WHO has said that India appears among the group of countries with the highest particulate matter levels.

Of the 1,600 surveyed cities, Delhi had the dirtiest air. Although the Indian government has rejected the WHO findings, medical experts say the situation is serious enough notwithstanding whether or not Delhi is the world's worst city for air pollution.

AK Singh, a doctor at Fortis Hospital, said, "The ill effects of air pollution on human health are diverse.It (pollution) increases the chances of developing stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases including asthma. It principally affects the body's respiratory system (lungs and airways) and the cardiovascular system (heart function and blood circulation)."

Following the WHO report, Delhi's Lt Governor Najeeb Jung set up a high-powered committee headed by Chief Secretary S K Srivastava to study the pollution in the river Yamuna and vehicular pollution in the city.

According to official data, Delhi has some 7.2 million vehicles -- more than the combined vehicle population of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Delhi has at least 2.1 million cars -- the highest for any one Indian city.

THINK TANK URGES GOVT TO ACT

On the eve of World Environment Day, an environmental think tank presented its action plan and urged the central government to initiate a proactive agenda for environmental change.

"We need to move beyond the rhetoric of environmental protection to implementing a tough action plan for change," said Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).