How Are Pollution Levels Impacting Lives in India's Most Polluted Places and Cities?

The Most Polluted Places in India

Vapi in Gujarat and Sukinda in Odisha are among the world's top 10 most polluted places, according to the Blacksmith Institute, a New York-based nonprofit group.

- **Vapi:** Potentially affected people: 71,000 - Pollutants: Chemicals and heavy metals due to its industrial estates.
- **Sukinda:** Potentially affected people: 2,600,000 - Pollutants: Hexavalent chromium due to its chromite mines.

The Most Polluted Cities in India

As many as 51 Indian cities have extremely high air pollution, with Patna, Lucknow, Raipur, Faridabad, and Ahmedabad topping the list. An Environment and Forest Ministry report, released on September 14, 2007, identified 51 cities that do not meet the prescribed Respirable Particulate Matter (RSPM) levels specified under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In 2005, an Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) placed India at the 101st position among 146 countries.

Taking a cue from the findings, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) formulated NAAQS and checked the air quality, which led to revelations about air quality in leading cities.

According to the report, Gobindgarh in Punjab is the most polluted city, with Ludhiana, Raipur, and Lucknow following. Faridabad, on the outskirts of Delhi, is the 10th most polluted city, followed by Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal. Ahmedabad is placed 12th, Indore 16th, Delhi 22nd, Kolkata 25th, Mumbai 40th, Hyderabad 44th, and Bangalore stands at 46th on the list. The Odisha town of Angul, home to the National Aluminium Company (NALCO), is the 50th most polluted city in the country.

"Our nature is a wonderful gift from God to us, so let's help save our nature to make it useful for the coming generation."

Thank you for sharing information about the most polluted places in India. The main cause is due to overpopulation in the cities leading to limited space. In contrast, forest and village areas have lower population density resulting in reduced pollution. It is essential to consider how to control pollution and improve waste management techniques to ensure proper handling of waste without harming our environment.

Engagement of Pollution Control Boards

It would be beneficial if our Pollution Control Boards actively engaged in efforts to reduce pollution levels by facilitating solutions rather than solely resorting to penalizing and shutting down factories. Providing guidance and creating an environment to implement pollution control measures would be highly valuable, rather than just offering advice.

Once again, thank you, Mr. Raghu, for bringing attention to the escalating pollution levels in our country.

Regards

One of the main concerns regarding pollution is that our industrial area has experienced an increase. We have appropriate rules and regulations in place. However, there is a lack of enforcement and awareness. Vast forest areas are being occupied, and we continue to dig into the earth for minerals. Factories are emitting smoke with harmful contents. I work within one of India's leading groups, and they are worsening the pollution of the environment. If a leading group behaves this way, what can be said about others? Where are we headed?

Regards, Vijay