Mumbai: A report released by Greenpeace India shows that deadly air pollution is not a problem restricted to Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) or even to India’s metros but a national problem that is killing 1.2 million Indians every year.
In addition, it is costing the economy an estimated 3 percent of GDP. The report says, if the country is to develop, fighting air pollution has to be a priority.
Damning information obtained by Greenpeace India through online reports and Right to Information applications from state pollution control boards across the country shows that there are virtually no places in India complying with World Health Organisation (WHO) and National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) standards.
Except for a few places in southern India which complied with NAAQ norms, the entire country is experiencing a public health crisis due to high air pollution levels.
The information is revealed in a report titled ‘Airpocalypse’ (1) that assesses air quality in 168 cities across 24 states and union territories and pinpoints fossil fuels as one of the main culprits for the deteriorating air quality across the country.
“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,” says Sunil Dahiya, campaigner, Greenpeace India.
“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.”
The assessment of air pollution levels for Delhi continues to be among the highest in the country with particulate matter (PM) concentrations being 268 micrograms per cubic metre with the concentrations even touching 500 during October to February.
In comparison, Maharashtra may show lower levels but the concentrations in 25 cities where data was available from pollution control boards were higher than the annual average of 60 micrograms per cubic metre as prescribed by NAAQ norms. Concentrations in Nanded, Taloja, Akola, Jalna, Thane, Mumbai and Chandrapur were 162, 126, 128, 118, 118, 107 and 103 for year 2015.
“In Mumbai, different combustion processes are the main contributors for PM, like power plant, open burning, commercial food sector and road transport and they contribute 37, 24, 18 and 10 percent respectively.”
A study by National Environment Engineering Research Institute found that open burning and landfill fires of municipal solid waste were a major source of air pollution in the city.
In Chandrapur, among the most polluted in the state, primary sources of high critical pollutant concentration are open coal mining, lime stone mining, fluoride mining, cement industry, thermal power plant, road dust, natural burning of coal and coal burning for domestic use by local people for cooking.
The report urges the Government of India to adopt time-bound national and regional action plans which have clear targets for regions and penalties for non-compliance. This should include providing transparent data to the public on air quality, short term measures (like health advisories on bad air days, shutting down power plants and taking polluting vehicles off roads) and long term measures that include improving public transport, improved efficiency for thermal plants and industries, moving from diesel to solar, stopping biomass burning and removing dust from roads.
