Air Pollution In India

BS-VI rule in Delhi explained: What it is and how to check your vehicle

BS emission standards are enforced to phase out high-polluting vehicles. Here's what BS-VI means, how it differs from older norms, and how to check your vehicle's category

Recurring throat infections on the rise as pollution, viruses collide

Doctors warn that air pollution, changing weather and overlapping viral infections are driving a spike in recurrent sore throats, with many patients returning days after recovery

Delhi's air drove 200,000 respiratory illness cases in 3 yrs: Govt data

Growing number of respiratory cases in Delhi hospitals underscores how prolonged exposure to polluted air is stretching healthcare systems and putting vulnerable groups at risk

Delhi pollution crisis: HC advises lawyers to avail hybrid mode for hearing

Amid severe pollution levels in the city, the Delhi High Court on Monday advised lawyers and parties-in-person to avail hybrid mode of appearance through video conferencing in their matters listed before it. Delhi choked under a thick blanket of smog on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 498, which falls in the higher spectrum of 'severe' category A circular issued by the registrar general of the high court said, in view of the prevailing weather conditions, I have been directed to convey that if convenient, members of the bar/ parties-in-person may avail hybrid mode of appearance through video conferencing facility in their matters listed before the hon'ble courts. On Sunday, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant also advised members of the Bar and parties-in-person to avail hybrid mode of appearance through video conferencing in matters listed before the Supreme Court in view of the prevailing weather conditions. Presently, the high court functions through a hybrid

Cong MP demands Beijing-style action plan to cut air pollution levels

As Delhi faces another hazardous smog spell, Congress MP Manickam Tagore accused the Centre of weak enforcement and urged a Beijing-style, time-bound clean air action plan with stricter accountability

No conclusive data links deaths exclusively to air pollution: MoS Health

There is no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct correlation of death/disease exclusively due to air pollution, Minister of State for Health, Prataprao Jadhav, told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases, Jadhav said in a written reply. The health effects of air pollution are a synergistic manifestation of factors, which include food habits, occupational habits, socioeconomic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals. The government of India has taken several steps to address air pollution issues, he said. The National Programme for Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has been implemented with an objective to create awareness, capacity building, health sector preparedness and response and partnerships related activities on climate sensitive health issues since 2019, according to the reply. Under NPCCHH, the government of India has develope

Respiratory drug sales surge in November as air quality continues to worsen

Rising pollution levels in November have led to a sharp jump in respiratory medicine sales, with asthma and allergy treatments seeing strong demand

Drop in AQI levels across India lead to rise in respiratory drugs sales

Winter triggered ailments no longer just a seasonal fluctuation but an escalating public health trigger due to air pollution, say experts

Dyson launches HushJet Purifier Compact in India: Check price and features

Dyson's new HushJet Purifier Compact brings stronger airflow, quieter performance and a long-lasting 360-degree Electrostatic Filter to help improve air quality in compact spaces

Air pollution 101: 13 key terms to help you protect your family's health

Air quality warnings can feel confusing, but understanding basic pollution terminology can help you navigate rising health risks and respond with timely precautions

How toxic air is quietly triggering behavioural changes in children

As toxic air penetrates deep into the bloodstream and reaches the brain, experts warn of rising neuroinflammation in children that can quietly shape behaviour, learning and development

How heavy metals in polluted air trigger fatigue, headaches and brain fog

Beyond PM2.5 and PM10, polluted air carries neurotoxic metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium that inflame the brain, disrupt energy pathways and trigger fatigue and fogginess on high-AQI days

National Pollution Control Day 2025: Know its history and relevance today

Observed annually on December 2, the day pays tribute to the victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy and reinforces India's commitment to better pollution management and public health protection

Best of BS Opinion: Will a 25% rate cut make any meaningful difference?

Today's Best of BS Opinion looks at India's real GDP growth contrasts with weak nominal growth, persistent air pollution, confusion over AI , and uncertain labour-code implementation and more

Air pollution, SIR, Vande Mataram: Key issues and bills in Winter Session

Winter Session of Parliament could see debates on air pollution, electoral revisions, Vande Mataram, and key bills spanning nuclear energy, higher education, and corporate law

Delhi tops PM2.5 pollution list; 447 districts breach national norm: Report

Delhi ranked as the most polluted among 33 states and Union territories with an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 101 micrograms per cubic metre, 2.5 times the Indian standard and 20 times the WHO guideline, according to a new satellite-based analysis. The report by the independent research organisation Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said Chandigarh recorded the second-highest annual average PM2.5 level at 70 micrograms per cubic metre during the study period from March 2024 to February 2025, followed by Haryana at 63 and Tripura at 62. Assam (60), Bihar (59), West Bengal (57), Punjab (56), Meghalaya (53) and Nagaland (52) also exceeded the national standard. Overall, 447 of the 749 districts (60 per cent) analysed breached the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for annual PM2.5 of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. The most polluted districts are heavily concentrated in a few states, the analysis showed. Delhi (11 districts) and Assam (11 districts) together

Statsguru: 'Climate' change is the only constant amid grim pollution data

While the city saw rising levels of air quality index (AQI), the nation as a whole did not rank quite well in the two reports released on the sidelines of the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30)

Delhi's air quality stays 'severe' as AQI crosses 400; SC asks CAQM to act

Supreme Court gives CAQM 'full authority' to take proactive, stakeholder-backed measures to tackle Delhi-NCR's worsening air pollution

SC declines to hear wellness expert's PIL on India's air pollution

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a fresh PIL by a wellness expert seeking urgent judicial intervention to tackle a "persistent and systemic failure" in addressing the country's rising air pollution levels. The top court, however, allowed holistic health coach Luke Christopher Coutinho to withdraw the PIL and file an intervention plea in a pending case filed by environmentalist M C Mehta on pollution. "The petitioner seeks liberty to withdraw the plea to file an intervention in pending proceedings in the MC Mehta case," the CJI said. The court is scheduled to hear the main plea on pollution on Wednesday. Coutinho had filed the plea on October 24 and made the Centre, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), several Union ministries, NITI Aayog, and the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra as parties. The plea said the current air pollution crisis has reached proportions of a "public

Can jaggery really protect the lungs from pollution, or is it just a myth?

As air quality dips and jaggery resurfaces as a "lung cleanser", experts say the belief rests on nostalgia and old animal studies, not human science, and explain what actually helps