The pollutants responsible for damaging the environment are reportedly on a very high scale in the national Capital. According to the latest report by the World Health Organisation on air pollution, New Delhi ranks fourth in Particulate Matter (PM) 10 list and fifth in PM 2.5 list among the Indian cities.
The report is based on the collective air samples from nearly 3,000 cities globally between 2008 and 2015.
Interestingly, the national Capital being featured as the “most polluted city” in the world is half analysis. While Delhi has ranked among the category of polluted cities, it scored fourth rank with the mass concentrations of these tiny particles.
Considering the WHO report, the average mass concentrations of PM 2.5 during research span was observed higher in Gwalior, Allahabad, Patna, Raipur, and ludhiana in comparison with Delhi. However, Khanna, lucknow, Kanpur and Firozabad are those cities where level of PM 2.5 was lower than Delhi.
However, the environmentalists have reacted differently on WHO assessment. “In public health concern, it is high time for each and every agency, be it WHO or any other agency that conducts studies/ researches on air pollutions, performed commutative study,” said environmentalist Gopal Krishna.
“Why the study is just focused on Particulate Matters. Gaseous particles are harmful too. Moreover, when there is no safer limit of pollutant levels, then on what basis the study has been conducted... Any agency, be it State Government or Central Government, the steps to curb air pollution should be radical, said Krishna.
“Surprisingly, the WHO has prepared the study without considering the actual sources of pollution. The study has not considered indoor pollution, vehicular and industrial pollution,” said the environmentalist.
On Delhi's rating on air pollution, Krishna said air pollutants are the passengers without passports, there is strong need to do a commutative study in which all pollutants and their sources are included while performing a study.”
The WHO report is based on the population model that at least 92 per cent of global population lives in places where pollutant levels have exceeded WHO's prescribed standards. The data is collected from satellite readings, country-by-country, using air transport models and ground station monitors.
According to WHO, air pollution (indoor and outdoor) is responsible for at least 6.5 million deaths. The report revealed that at around 90 per cent of the deaths caused by air-pollution-related ailments are reported from low- and middle-income countries with almost around 66 per cent occurring in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific.