STRINGENT ACTION VITAL

A 10-year assessment of air pollution across major urban centres has found that none of the country's top cities met safe AQI levels at any point between 2015 and November 2025.

- Dhurjati Mukherjee

The report, prepared by Climate Trends, analysed long-term pollution patterns across 11 major cities. The case with India is no different with its capital Delhi, as always, remaining the most polluted city throughout the period of study with average AQIA levels peaking above 250 in 2016 and hovering around 180 this year.

Cities such as Lucknow, Varanasi and Ahmedabad, which recorded high average AQI values often above 200-in the first half of the decade, showed some improvement in the second half. While southern and western cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Bengaluru recorded relatively moderate AQIA levels, even they did not meet safe thresholds. A recent government report found over 2 lakh cases of acute respiratory illness in six major hospitals in Delhi though other metros such as Mumbai and Chennai find similar increases during periods of high pollution. Experts stressed the need for better planning and data-driven interventions to at least check the problem.

Referring to stubble burning which has gradually gone down in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and that this happens for just a fortnight, the Supreme Court asked the Union and NCR governments to detail the measures taken on other pollution sources such as vehicles, industries, construction, dust and the tangible results through implementation of effective steps in this regard. It was very critical of construction activities and wanted quality public transport to reduce air pollution.