How toxic is Bengaluru’s air? It was ranked 63rd among 168 cities for PM 2.5 levels in 2015-16 by a report — titled ‘Airpocalypse’ — on air quality. Tumakuru was ranked 67th. New Delhi, which has been in the news for dizzying levels of air pollution, was ranked first.
But other cities in Karnataka, including Hassan, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and Chitradurga, emerged the least polluted, occupying the last slots in the list. Vehicular pollution was attributed as the main cause for pollution in Bengaluru.
The study covered 24 States and Union territories.
A release from Greenpeace India on Wednesday said that no Indian city complies with standards prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and very few cities - many in southern India - comply with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standards.
PM10 levels
Data compiled through online reports and Right to Information applications from State Pollution Control Boards across India showed that air pollution levels for cities in Karnataka as far as PM10 levels are concerned were higher than the average of 60 micro g/m3 prescribed under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
Surprisingly, Davanagere has the highest level of PM 10 in the atmosphere, followed by Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Raichur and Hubballi.
