Ambient air pollution in selected small cities in India: Observed trends and future challenges

Exposure to ambient air pollution is a major threat to human health in most Indian cities. Recent studies have reported that more than three-quarters of the people in India are exposed to pollution levels higher than the limits recommended by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards in India and significantly higher than those recommended by the World Health Organization. Despite the poor air quality, the monitoring of air pollution levels is limited even in large urban areas in India and virtually absent in small towns and rural areas. The lack of data results in a minimal understanding of spatial patterns of air pollutants at local and regional levels. This paper presents particulate air pollution trends monitored over one year in three small cities in India. The findings are important for framing state and regional level policies for addressing air pollution problems in cities, and achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) linked to public health, reduction in the adverse environmental impact of cities, and adaptation to climate change, as indicated by SDGs 3.9, 11.6 and 11.b.