Smart Air is dedicated to providing free educational content on the dangers of air pollution and helping people breathe safely. Air pollution is a serious concern in India, with significant health impacts.
The objective of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of pollution PM2.5 levels in major cities in India.
Smart Air has analyzed data for 2023 to highlight the “25 Most Polluted Cities in India” for 2024 based on PM2.5 data from the Central Pollution Control Board.
Source- https://airquality.cpcb.gov.in/AQI_India/
What is PM2.5?
PM stands for particulate matter, with 2.5 representing its size, specifically 2.5 microns, or 1/30th the diameter of a single strand of hair.
PM2.5 pollution has been linked to increased rates of heart attack and stroke. It can also cause oxidative stress, which is essentially damage to the body’s cells at a rate faster than they can repair themselves, according to a Bloomberg report.
Even at modest concentrations, PM2.5 pollution has severe impacts. In 2021, the WHO tightened its recommended guidelines for PM 2.5 pollution from an average of 10 micrograms per cubic meter to 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Data – https://cpcb.nic.in/index.php Illustrated by – Smart Air India
Smaller cities in Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan emerged as pollution hotspots, rivalling major metropolitan areas like Delhi.
During the winter period (October-February), the months of January and February see lower pollution levels compared to Nov and Dec.
According to the 2021 World Air Quality Report, India is home to 63 of the 100 most polluted cities The study also found that PM2.5 concentrations – tiny particles in the air that are 2.5 micrometres or smaller in length – in 48% of the country’s cities are more than 10 times higher than the 2021 WHO air quality guideline level.
Data – https://cpcb.nic.in/index.php Illustrated by – Smart Air India
How Air Pollution Was Measured to Find Most Polluted Cities in India
We obtained air quality data for various cities from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website for 2023.
Central Pollution Control Board is executing a nationwide programme of ambient air quality monitoring known as the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). The network consists of 931 operating stations covering 398 cities/towns in 28 states and 7 Union Territories in India.
The raw AQI 2024 India pollution data used for the rankings of India’s most polluted cities are openly available on National Air Quality Index .
There are various pollutants (both particles and gases) that can be found in the air. One of the most commonly tracked pollutants is very small, fine particles called PM2.5.
These small pollutants are under 2.5 micrograms in width and are considered to be one of the more dangerous pollutants due to their ability to enter deep into the lungs and bloodstream. The above rankings of the most polluted cities in India were ranked based on their 2023 average PM2.5 pollution levels.
Recommended limits
The limit that is closely aligned with what studies show about the health effects of pollution is the annual limit of 5 micrograms/m3.
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