Delhi Remains India's Most Polluted City; Aizawl Sustains Cleanest Air

NEW DELHI: A recent analysis conducted jointly by independent think tank Climate Trends and tech firm Respirer Living Sciences, known for manufacturing real-time IoT-based air quality monitoring devices, has revealed that Delhi, while witnessing a marginal improvement in air quality, has retained its unfortunate title as India's most polluted city. The analysis was based on PM2.5 data and covered the period from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023.

Delhi's PM2.5 concentration stood at a staggering 100.1 micrograms per cubic meter, which is three times higher than the government's established safe limit. This concerning level of pollution continues to pose significant health risks to the city's residents.

In contrast, Aizawl in Mizoram was found to have the cleanest air in India, with a PM2.5 level of only 11.1 micrograms per cubic meter, showcasing the stark disparity in air quality across the country.

Notably, several cities from the National Capital Region (NCR) also featured prominently among the top 10 most polluted cities. Faridabad reported a PM2.5 concentration of 89 micrograms per cubic meter, Noida had 79.1 micrograms per cubic meter, Ghaziabad recorded 78.3 micrograms per cubic meter, and Meerut had 76.9 micrograms per cubic meter.

The report's focus was on cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme, which is aimed at achieving a 40 percent reduction in particulate matter concentration by 2026. Despite the program's goals, the analysis revealed concerning trends in several cities.

For instance, Patna emerged as the second most polluted city, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 99.7 micrograms per cubic meter, marking a 24 percent deterioration in air quality compared to the previous year.

The report emphasized that the top seven polluted cities, including Delhi, Patna, Muzaffarpur, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Meerut, are all located in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, an area known for its persistent air quality challenges.

However, there were some glimmers of hope as the analysts observed reductions in PM2.5 concentration during the study period. Delhi, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Meerut saw reductions of 4 percent, 12 percent, 12 percent, 25 percent, and 11 percent, respectively.

Aarti Khosla, the director of Climate Trends, commented on the findings, stating, "The analysis reflects that there has been improvement in the Indo-Gangetic Plain cities over the last few years. However, considering the enormous pollution load, these cities continue to experience the highest PM levels in the country." She added, "While measures like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana or hyperlocal developments like the peripheral highways around Delhi are positive actions, there is a need for a scientific approach to address air quality issues in a sustained manner through an airshed approach."

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