Air Pollution in Indian Cities

AIR POLLUTION IN INDIAN CITIES

 Air pollution has emerged as one of the most serious threats to public health worldwide with 3.7 million deaths in 2012 from outdoor air pollution according to World Health Organisation (WHO) and approximately 660,000 deaths in India as estimated by Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) in 2013. Air pollution consists of a complex mix of various substances in different physical and chemical states and these arise from various sources. WHO focuses on four health-related air pollutants, namely, particulate matter (PM), measured as particles with an aerodynamic diameter lesser than 10 μm (PM10) and lesser than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone.

Indian cities today are among the most polluted areas in the world .Current standards, for particulate matter set by the CPCB are much higher than those recommended by the World Health Organization (Krzyzanowski and Cohen, 2008). Recently a report published by WHO placed 13 Indian cities in the 20 most polluted cities of the world.

Air  pollution levels combined with high population density results into high mortality and health costs. Low average incomes, poor health facilities combined with inadequate awareness about the sources and treatment of health problems results in the loss of many lives every year. 

MAJOR AIR POLLUTANTS AND THEIR EFFECT ON PUBLIC HEALTH 

 Source: WHO

CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION:

• Increase in urban population
• Increase in number of vehicles
• Increase in industrial activity
• Increase in power generation
• Domestic pollution

LIST OF TWENTY MOST POLLUTED CITIES IN THE WORLD

Source: WHO, 2015

NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (NAAQS) FOR INDIA

To assess the quality of air and to take effective steps for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution, the CPCB, Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), is executing nation-wide ambient air quality monitoring through a National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). Several air quality standards and guidelines have been introduced by CPCB/MoEF to refer and regulate urban air quality. Of particular importance are the Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act (1981), the Environmental Protection Act (1986), the Motor Vehicles Act (1988) and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (1989). According to CPCB there are 593 stations operating under NAMP as on 30th June 2015 which are spread over 249 cities in 29 states and 5 union territories in India. Out of 249 cities covered under NAMP only 16 cities are providing data on air pollutants through online portal managed by CPCB.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, has introduced the System of Air Quality Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) to provide location-specific information on air quality in near real time and it forecasts 1-3 days in advance in major metropolitan cities such as Delhi and Pune. This system benefits the general population by increasing awareness on climate related events and in forecasting adverse environment effects. Hospitals and medical colleges which have set up SAFAR stations have the data available for their own research and scientific usage and to identify, for instance, the rise of ailments like bronchitis cases in the area.

AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI) IS A RATING SCALE USED FOR REPORTING THE QUALITY OF AIR AND THE ASSOCIATED HEALTH EFFECTS

Source: System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India)

DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC

The outcome of the air quality model, i.e. the forecast, and current information of air quality and weather parameters will be translated into the AQI developed specifically for India. This translated information is available for Delhi, Pune and is being done for Ahmedabad, Mumbai, AQI will be provided to the common public via different media sources. A separate network of display stations has been established with LED screens; 24x7 current and forecasted AQI along with weather conditions is displayed along with associated health advisories through the network and detailed information is made available on the web portal www.safar.tropmrt.res.in. In case of emergency conditions, for public awareness, information will be given via radio/TV and e-mail, and an SMS alert service will be activated for registered users. An IVRS system is made available through which people can get all the information by just calling a toll free number.

http://safar.tropmet.res.in/

http://www.greenpeace.org/

http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/

http://cpcb.nic.in/

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/

http://www.teriin.org/