Air pollution a national crisis: Green bodies on WHO report

With four Indian cities figuring in the top seven most polluted cities in the world, green bodies in the country today said air pollution is now a "national crisis" and strict and aggressive action is needed to check it.
Commenting on a new World Health Organisation (WHO) report which ranked Gwalior (2), Allahabad (3), Patna (6) and Raipur (7) in the top seven cities with worst air pollution, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) called for more aggressive and stringent action across all cities to check pollution.
"This indicates that air pollution is now a national crisis and needs strict and aggressive nation-wide action across all cities of India," said Anumita Roychowdhury, CSE's executive director for research and advocacy.

"India urgently needs national air quality planning to ensure that all cities have clean air action plan that are implemented in a time-bound manner to meet clean air target," the CSE said.
On New Delhi being listed 11th in the report after being ranked worst in 2014, the CSE said although the national capital has "arrested and improved" air quality, it still has a "long way to go".
Terming it as "disturbing" that several Indian cities have shown substantial increase in pollution levels since 2014, CSE said that PM2.5 in Allahabad has increased by 92 per cent, in Ludhiana 34 per cent, in Khanna 30 per cent, Kanpur 24 per cent, Agra 20 per cent, Lucknow 18 per cent and Amritsar 17 per cent among others.

CSE analysis of the WHO report, however, said that there were lesser number of Indian cities in the list of top 10 and top 20 most polluted cities this year.

While four are in top 10 list as opposed to six last time and 10 are in the top 20 list as opposed to 13 last time, bad news is that several smaller India cities including Patna, Allahabad, Ludhiana, Gwalior, Kanpur are more polluted than mega cities and are getting worse.
"This calls for more aggressive and stringent action across all cities of India," CSE said.
Noting that pollution does not recognise political boundaries, Greenpeace India said it has repeatedly called for an "urgent and comprehensive" National Clean Air Action Plan.

"Pollution does not recognise political boundaries, with polluted air travelling across long distances. Air pollution is a national crisis and demands a concerted national action plan in response," said Sunil Dahiya, campaigner, Greenpeace India.
The NGO said that continuing rise of fossil fuel consumption in India along with several other factors, has contributed to an increase in air pollution levels.
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The CSE's analysis of the WHO data showed that there was 20 per cent drop in PM2.5 level since 2014 in Delhi but the annual levels are still double the ambient air quality standards and that demands more stringent action to protect public health.

It said the beginning of the second phase of action in Delhi has stabilised the air pollution trends in Delhi and a much larger number of vehicles is meeting the Bharat Stage IV standards that were introduced for new vehicles in 2010.
"The Supreme Court directives have imposed environment compensation charge on entry of each truck into Delhi and restricted entry of pre-2006 trucks. This has halved the number of trucks that contribute about 30 per cent of the transport sector pollution.
"The Rajghat coal-based power plant was shut down last year. The remaining coal power plant in Badarpur is operating at 30 per cent of its capacity. There is also a greater push for enforcement on waste burning and construction dust. All of these have prevented pollution from getting worse," CSE said.

It said Delhi has demonstrated that if cities take action to control pollution it will show results.
"Strong public awareness, judicial and executive action has started to catalyse second phase of action in Delhi. This will have to be taken forward to meet clean air targets to protect public health. Delhi still has a long way to go.