NEW DELHI: Air pollution is no more restricted to Delhi-NCR or even to India’s metros but all major cities have high pollution levels with 1.2 million people dying of causes related to pollution every year and costing the economy an estimated 3 percent of GDP, according to information sought through RTI by Greenpeace.
The data gathered from state pollution control boards shows that there are virtually no places in India complying with WHO and National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) standards, and most cities are critically polluted. Except for a few places in Southern India which complied with NAAQ (national ambient air quality) standards, the entire country is experiencing a public health crisis due to high air pollution levels.
The top 20 most polluted cities have PM 10 levels between 268 µg/m3and 168 µg/m3 for the year 2015 against the permissible limit of below 100.
While, Delhi tops the list with 268 µg/m3, it is followed closely by Ghaziabad, Allahabad, and Bareli in Uttar Pradesh; Faridabad in Haryana; Jharia in Jharkhand, Alwar in Rajasthan; Ranchi, Kusunda and Bastacola in Jharkhand; Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and Patna.
“Air pollution is a national public health crisis as almost none of the cities have bothered to keep air pollution in check, making them unlivable. We are facing an apocalypse right now due to unbreathable air. Deaths due to air pollution are only a fraction less than those due to use of tobacco yet authorities are laying a deaf ear to the numerous scientific reports that have set alarm bells ringing,” says Sunil Dahiya, campaigner, Greenpeace India.
The analysis of the data obtained through RTI points that continued use of fossil fuels as the main culprit for the dangerous rise in the level of pollutants in the air across the country.
Last month, the Supreme Court approved the ‘graded response system’ to tackle air pollution in Delhi.
“This report clearly shows that air pollution is not restricted to Delhi. Thus, our pollution reduction strategies needs to be much more ambitious, systematic and with focused targets with clear timelines. Accountability and compliance mechanism should be in place, with no leniency towards the fossil fuel dependant sectors such as, power and transport,” said Dahiya.
