Data shows that particulate matter pollution has exceeded safe limits in cities across India
The onset of winter is yet to begin but Delhi has already begun to choke. The Capital's air-quality index has already entered the very poor category and is expected to be in severe range in the coming days.
While the judiciary, executive and even citizens have swung into action to fight Delhi-National Capital Region's (NCR), pollution woes across India's non-metropolitan cities remain equally grave.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) continuous and manual air-quality monitoring stations show that from September till now, cities across north, northwest and few in southern India have experienced bad air days for most of the days, as particulate matter (PM) pollution has exceeded the safe limits.
Days when the air quality exceeds pollution norms are categorized as 'bad air days'. Also, pollution levels begin to deteriorate from September onward as monsoon begins to recede.
The problem is particularly acute in North India and especially along the Indo-Gangetic plains as factors such as meteorological conditions, crop residue burning, industries and vehicular emissions deteriorate combine to worsen the air-quality. CPCB data shows that Amritsar, Rohtak, Patna, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Moradabad, Jaipur and Visakhapatnam saw PM pollution in the poor to severe category between September and now, even before winter peaks.
"Due to severe road congestion, dust and vehicular emission are two of the biggest sources of pollution in Varanasi. We have only one automatic air-quality monitoring station and five manual monitoring stations", said AK Singh, regional officer, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board. PM 2.5 is particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 microns while PM10 is particulate matter smaller than 10 microns.
The recent data affirms CPCB's past findings that non-metro cities and those with million plus population are breathing equally bad air. In fact, a CPCB study carried out in 2015 and released last year had revealed that people in 41 Indian cities with a million plus population breathed bad quality air during 58% of the days when the ambient air was monitored.
"We are exceeding norms of PM pollution on most days, excepting the monsoon season," scientists from the pollution regulator CPCB said.
They added that curbing pollution in non-metro cities is one of their key focus areas and that installation of more automatic monitoring stations is the first step in that direction.
Currently, there are 40 operational automatic and air-quality monitoring stations and over 300 manual ones across towns and cities.
Up in smog
Number of days when PM10/PM2.5 levels crossed the prescribed standard between September 1 and October 18 (Total of 48 days)
PM10 is Particulate matter smaller than 10 micron and PM 2.5 is particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micron)
These particles are so small that they can get into the lungs and bloodstream, potentially causing serious health problems.
Safe limit: 100 microgram/metre cube
Source: CPCB
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "pollution")
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}