A 10-year study finds no major Indian city achieved “good” AQI even once. Bengaluru, the cleanest, stayed only in the “satisfactory” range
Mumbai and Chennai improved to “satisfactory” AQI, but natural advantages mean both should consistently rank “good” — yet they don’t
Delhi remains in the “poor” category with frequent “severe” days. Falling farm fires show winter smog needs a broader policy rethink
The NCAP set targets for PM10 reduction across 131 cities. Progress varied widely because funding wasn’t tied to performance
Weak state capacity, limited technical expertise, and fragmented data slowed results. Focusing mainly on PM10 also reduced impact
India needs a binding national plan: EV transition, stronger public transport, better monitoring, and public participation to avert a health crisis