Lowest pollution in Delhi in 5 years: CSE released report, pollution increased in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai

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In the last winter, the air of Delhi-NCR was the cleanest in 5 years. This information has come out from the report of the Center for Science and Environment (CSE), an organization working for the environment. According to the report, for the first time after 2018, pollution decreased in Delhi-NCR in winter. On the contrary, an increased level of PM 2.5 was found in other metro cities.

According to CSE executive director Anumita Roychowdhury, pollution in other metro cities including Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai is almost negligible in winter. The winter air quality analysis in Delhi, Kolkata-Howrah, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai from October 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023 revealed that Kolkata and Mumbai are the most polluted after Delhi. The air quality deteriorated fastest in Bengaluru and Chennai.

Similar situation from Delhi to Mumbai: patients of respiratory diseases are increasing

Situation: Delhi’s air was worst in NCR in winter
Delhi and neighboring cities of Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Noida were relatively more polluted than other cities in NCR. The PM 2.5 level in Delhi, however, was 17% lower than the seasonal average for the winter of 2018-19. According to the report, compared to the last time, the incidence of stubble burning has reduced to half this winter.

According to NASA’s VIIRS satellite, the total number of stubble burning in the months of October and November this year in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi were 55,846 and 12,158 respectively. These are 36% and 40% less respectively in 2021-22.

Worry: Mumbai’s air more polluted than Delhi’s for two weeks
The air of Mumbai has also become polluted. According to Swiss Air Research, Mumbai has left Delhi several steps behind in terms of polluted air. The city’s air quality (AQI) has remained in the very poor (250-350) category for the past two weeks.

Due to this polluted air for a long time, people in Mumbai are increasingly falling prey to diseases like respiratory diseases, cold, phlegm, cough. Doctors at Bombay Hospital told that due to increase in air pollution, more patients of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases are reaching at present. Patients are also telling complaints of burning sensation in the eyes.

Challenge: 2.5 particles of pollution have reached every corner of the world
A new research has revealed that the PM matter responsible for pollution has reached 2.5 in 99.82% of the earth’s area. That means the whole earth has become polluted. Small pollutant particles present in the air are dangerous for lung cancer and heart related diseases.

The scientists found that globally, in Australia and China, more than 70% of days in 2019 had daily PM 2.5 concentrations above 15 micrograms per cubic metre, which is the World Health Organisation’s standard. The worst situation in terms of pollution is in South-East Asia, where the amount of PM 2.5 remained above 15 for more than 90% of the days.

Pollution is 15% more in Bangalore and Chennai
Compared to the winter of 2021-22, only Delhi and Kolkata’s air has improved. At the same time, this time the air of Bengaluru and Chennai deteriorated by 15% compared to the previous three winters of PM 2.5 level. The air was 14 per cent more polluted in Mumbai and 3 per cent more in Hyderabad.