Research reveals worsening air quality in Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Mysuru

Greenpeace India's report reveals alarming air pollution levels in southern Indian cities, urging for stricter standards and monitoring.

New research by Greenpeace India has revealed that air quality in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru has come down drastically and that air pollution is on the rise.

The Greenpeace report “Spare the Air-2” also flags serious health concerns as the average particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and PM10 levels soar in 10 major cities of southern India, significantly exceeding the air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization.

The report analysed the air quality standards of Hyderabad, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Mangaluru, Amravati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru, Mysuru and Puducherry.

The study found that when compared with WHO guidelines, the annual average PM2.5 levels are found to be six to seven times higher in Mangaluru and other cities like Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Kochi, Amaravati, and Chennai.

“Additionally, comparing PM10 levels with WHO guidelines reveals that Bengaluru, Puducherry, and Mysuru have annual averages that exceed these guidelines by four to five times,” it states.

One of the key highlights of the study states that the monthly average trend in Bengaluru city shows that PM2.5 levels are five to six times higher, and PM10 levels are 3 to 4.5 times higher than WHO annual guidelines in all months.

“Meanwhile, PM10 exceeds National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) annual limits in February, March, April, October, November, and December,” it said.