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A study conducted by independent think tank Climate Trends and tech firm Respirer Living Sciences has said that Delhi remained the most polluted city in the country in the year ending September 30, with a PM2.5 concentration of 100.1 micrograms per cubic metre, which is three times the government’s safe limit, PTI reported on Thursday.
The report is based on the analysis of the government’s PM2.5 data from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, and focuses on the cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme, which aims to achieve a 40% reduction in particulate matter concentration by 2026.
The analysis reported Aizawl and Mizoram having the cleanest air across the country with a PM2.5 level of only 11.1 micrograms per cubic metre.
The study said not only the national capital, but four more cities from the National Capital Region (NCR) also feature among the top 10 most polluted cities in the country. The other four NCR cities are: Faridabad (89 micrograms per cubic metre), Noida (79.1 micrograms per cubic metre), Ghaziabad (78.3 micrograms per cubic metre) and Meerut (76.9 micrograms per cubic metre).
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Patna, the second most polluted city with an average PM2.5 concentration of 99.7 micrograms per cubic metre, saw a 24% deterioration in air quality compared to the previous year, the analysis said.
National capital Delhi was closely followed by Patna, Muzaffarpur, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Meerut– all from the Indo-Gangetic Plains—in the list of most polluted cities in the country.
However, the analysts noted that PM2.5 concentration in Delhi, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad and Meerut reduced by 4%, 12%, 12%, 25% and 11%, respectively, during the study period.
“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,” PTI quoted Aarti Khosla, the director of Climate Trends, as saying.
“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,” she added.
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Updated: 05 Oct 2023, 04:48 PM IST
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