Much to worry over air quality

India has much to worry over the findings on the World Air Quality report 2021, which shows a good part of the nation lacking in clean air and even choking. New Delhi emerges as the most polluted capital city in the world for the fourth year in a row, and 10 of the top 15 most polluted cities are mostly around the national capital. The index lists 35 Indian cities with the worst air quality tag for 2021. These exceeded the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) PM2.5 limit by over 10-15 times. The level of PM2.5, or particulate matter less than 2.5 microns thick, is a crucial metric of air quality as these particles cause lasting health damage. The prescribed annual average limit for PM2.5 in India is 40 mcm, while the WHO standard is 5 mcm. The annual average PM2.5 levels in Delhi rose by almost 15% in 2021 compared to 2020 — from 84.1 micrograms per cubic metre (mcm) to 96.4 mcm.

These are scary statistics and they show how serious the threat to health is from polluted air. According to another report, Indians lose 1.51 years of their life to air pollution, and 93% of the population live in areas where air pollution was nearly seven times the WHO standards. The spike in pollution levels last year was expected as the economy opened up after the lockdown in 2020, but it was much more than expected. That gives the grim message that they are likely to be still higher this year and in the coming years. There are a host of ailments that air pollution causes and the country is ill-prepared to tackle them. It is a silent killer that needs to be taken seriously but the country still has not done that.

While air quality dipped all over India, it improved in most other places in the world. China succeeded in improving air quality in half of the cities included in the report. Beijing, which was once the most polluted capital in the world, is not among the most polluted cities now. In India, the major causes for air pollution are vehicular emissions, power generation, industrial waste, biomass combustion, the construction sector and events like crop burning. Every one of these needs to be tackled and a separate strategy is needed for each. A comprehensive plan which embraces all of them is also needed but there is little evidence that this is being recognised and acted upon. There is better public awareness about the dangers of pollution now but more responsible action is needed from individuals and groups. A combination of government policies and initiatives and a mass movement are needed for success in the fight against pollution.