41 Indian cities have bad air quality, CPCB survey finds
The analysis said that as per the monitored air quality data of 41 million-plus cities during 2015, 58% of the total monitoring days were bad days while 42% were categorised as good days. Photo: AFP
Is India’s pollution spiraling out of control?
In 2015, 41 Indian cities with a million-plus population faced bad air quality in nearly 60% of the total days monitored, said a latest analysis released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
As per CPCB’s data, which is India’s nodal pollution watchdog, Coimbatore and Rajkot had highest number of good quality days, while Varanasi, Gwalior and Allahabad didn’t have even one good air quality day among all the days when their air quality was monitored.
Days wherein all monitored parameters like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter are within the prescribed norms were considered good days while remaining monitoring days when value of one or the other parameter exceeds the norms were categorised as bad days.
The analysis said that, as per the monitored air quality data of 41 million plus cities during 2015, 58% of the total monitoring days were bad days while 42% were categorised as good days.