India has the world worst air pollution. Seven of the world¡¯s ten most polluted cities are in India. In 2018, Gurugram had the worst pollution levels globally, per a study by AirVisual and Greenpeace showed.
With numerous measures and awareness campaigns in place to curb air pollution, more than 674 million Indians are likely to breathe highly polluted air in 2030, even if the country were to comply with its existing pollution control policies and regulations.
The study, released by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) in New Delhi, shows that only about 833 million citizens would be living in areas that meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in 2030.
The report said that Indian citizens are likely to breathe toxic air with high concentrations of PM2.5 in 2030, even if India were to comply with its existing pollution control policies and regulations.
The population settled around the Indo-Gangetic plain, covering parts of states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, has the highest population exposure to significant PM2.5 concentrations.
BCCL
The primary reason is the high density of polluting sources and absence of ventilation due to obstructing presence of Himalayas.
The World Health Organisation estimates seven million people are killed every year due to air pollution, while non-fatal effects of over-exposure to PM2.5 include irregular heartbeats, aggravated asthma and decreased lung function, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.