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India's Air Standards Stuck in 2009 Due to Review Delays
27 Oct
Summary
- India uses 17-year-old air quality standards as review is delayed.
- National Ambient Air Quality Standards from 2009 remain in effect.
- PM2.5 annual standard is eight times higher than WHO's safe limit.
India continues to adhere to air quality standards established 17 years ago, as a crucial review to redefine pollution thresholds remains incomplete. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) from 2009 are still in force nationwide, a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reply under the Right to Information Act disclosed.
A steering committee, formed on May 6, 2020, is reviewing a report from IIT Kanpur. This panel, including experts from various leading institutions and government bodies, has held multiple meetings since 2021 to deliberate on the proposed revisions, which aim to include parameters like ultrafine particulate matter.
Meanwhile, international guidelines have advanced, with the World Health Organization tightening its recommendations in 2021. India's annual PM2.5 standard of 40 micrograms per cubic metre is eight times the WHO's safe limit of 5 micrograms, and the PM10 limit of 60 micrograms is four times the WHO's recommended 15 micrograms.
Environmentalists have urged for the prompt notification of revised NAAQS, suggesting the consideration of region-specific standards rather than a single national benchmark, given the diverse pollution levels across India. Cities in the National Capital Region frequently appear among India's most polluted.
