Ahmedabad and Surat are among eight Indian cities that have seen increasing pollution levels, as per a study conducted of cities in South and Southeast Asia.
A study published in Science Advances, based on satellite observations by NASA and the European Space Agency between 2005 and 2018 showed increasing levels of most air pollutants across 18 cities in South and Southeast Asia.
That PM (particulate matter) and nitrogen dioxide that directly impacts health was included in the study.
Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Karachi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Chittagong, and Dhaka were among the cities analysed in South Asia.
For Southeast Asia, the data was taken from Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, Phnom Penh and Yangon.
Out of these, Mumbai and Bangalore in India and Dhaka in Bangladesh are the most affected by the increasing air pollution.
In Ahmedabad, pollution monitoring screens have been installed in areas including Ellisbridge and Sardar Patel Stadium.
The concerned authorities have also taken note of increasing PM 2.5 levels in the city’s SG Highway, CG Road, Ashram Road, and Ahmedabad East, including the walled city.
In areas like Hansol, Chandkheda, and Raikhad, the air quality index reportedly crossed the 120 mark, posing a threat to medically vulnerable people.
According to the study, 2100 people in 1 crore population are affected by the worsening air quality.
The study also mentions that in Asian countries, increasing air pollution is responsible for the premature deaths of 1.5 million people.