<p>Bengaluru: Bengaluru's annual average nitrogen oxide (NO2) concentration in 2023 was nearly twice the standards prescribed by the World Health Organisation with the monitoring station at the City Railway Station (Majestic) emerging as the highly polluted area, a new report from Greenpeace India said.</p><p>In its latest report 'Beyond North', Greenpeace India looked into concentration of NO2, a toxic gas associated with several respiratory health risks, in seven populated cities of the country that do not get the required attention: Jaipur, Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai.</p>.AI, Satellite imagery help Karnataka Forest Department to crackdown on encroachment.<p>The report analysed the ground level NO2 concentration data generated by the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (CAAQM). In Chennai, the NO2 concentrations were above the WHO standards of 10 microgram/cubic metre for 314 days in 2023 or 86% of the year. It was 312 days in Pune, 307 days in Hyderabad, 295 days in Bengaluru, 277 days in Jaipur, 256 days in Mumbai and 133 days in Kolkata.</p><p>Within Bengaluru, the NO2 concentration at City Railway Station exceeded WHO standards for 295 days. It was followed by Hombegoweda Nagar (125), Bapuji Nagar (120), Peenya (119), Hebbal (104), Jayanagar 5th Block (96) and BTM Layout (89). The toxic gas concentration was high for 20-22 days in four other areas while Kasturi Nagar had '0' days of high concentration.</p><p>Of the 13 monitoring stations in the city, eight recorded annual average NO2 of more than 20 microgram/cubic metre. The station at Shivapura showed 15 microgram/cubic metre. In the remaining four stations the numbers varied between 10 and 13 microgram/cubic metre.</p>.<p>Selomi Garniak, Climate Justice Campaigner at Greenpeace India, said the transportation sector was the largest contributor to high NO2 levels across the cities. "As cities grow, the rise in private vehicles worsens air quality and jeopardizes public health. To tackle this, we need a fundamental shift towards a sustainable, efficient public transportation system. Investing in cleaner, more accessible transport options is not just an environmental necessity—it’s an urgent public health imperative. The government must prioritize cleaner mobility solutions to ensure a healthier future," she said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Bengaluru's annual average nitrogen oxide (NO2) concentration in 2023 was nearly twice the standards prescribed by the World Health Organisation with the monitoring station at the City Railway Station (Majestic) emerging as the highly polluted area, a new report from Greenpeace India said.</p><p>In its latest report 'Beyond North', Greenpeace India looked into concentration of NO2, a toxic gas associated with several respiratory health risks, in seven populated cities of the country that do not get the required attention: Jaipur, Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai.</p>.AI, Satellite imagery help Karnataka Forest Department to crackdown on encroachment.<p>The report analysed the ground level NO2 concentration data generated by the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (CAAQM). In Chennai, the NO2 concentrations were above the WHO standards of 10 microgram/cubic metre for 314 days in 2023 or 86% of the year. It was 312 days in Pune, 307 days in Hyderabad, 295 days in Bengaluru, 277 days in Jaipur, 256 days in Mumbai and 133 days in Kolkata.</p><p>Within Bengaluru, the NO2 concentration at City Railway Station exceeded WHO standards for 295 days. It was followed by Hombegoweda Nagar (125), Bapuji Nagar (120), Peenya (119), Hebbal (104), Jayanagar 5th Block (96) and BTM Layout (89). The toxic gas concentration was high for 20-22 days in four other areas while Kasturi Nagar had '0' days of high concentration.</p><p>Of the 13 monitoring stations in the city, eight recorded annual average NO2 of more than 20 microgram/cubic metre. The station at Shivapura showed 15 microgram/cubic metre. In the remaining four stations the numbers varied between 10 and 13 microgram/cubic metre.</p>.<p>Selomi Garniak, Climate Justice Campaigner at Greenpeace India, said the transportation sector was the largest contributor to high NO2 levels across the cities. "As cities grow, the rise in private vehicles worsens air quality and jeopardizes public health. To tackle this, we need a fundamental shift towards a sustainable, efficient public transportation system. Investing in cleaner, more accessible transport options is not just an environmental necessity—it’s an urgent public health imperative. The government must prioritize cleaner mobility solutions to ensure a healthier future," she said.</p>