'Seven from Bihar among 50 most polluted cities in world'

PATNA: Seven cities from Bihar have figured among the 50 most polluted cities in the world, as per the latest 5th annual world air quality report released by Swiss air tracking firm IQAir.

Patna, Darbhanga, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Chhapra and Hajipur in Bihar are among the 50 most polluted cities, as per the IQAir report, which has ranked India as the world's eighth most polluted country in 2022.
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With an annual average concentration of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns measured at 90.3 micrograms per cubic metre (g/m3), Darbhanga ranked sixth most polluted city in the world, while Patna was tenth with the annual PM2.5 level measured at 88.8 g/m3.
Incidentally, all seven cities from Bihar in the IQAir's report had PM2.5 levels more than 10 times higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s prescribed annual safe limit of 5 g/m3.
The IQAir stated in a press statement issued from Switzerland on Tuesday that data from more than 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,323 locations in 131 countries, territories and regions was analysed by its air quality scientists for the report.
S Chandrashekhar, member secretary at Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB), said the reports, which are not vetted by Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, are not taken into consideration. "We cannot comment on this report," he said.
He added: "It is a fact that particulate matter pollution is an issue in Indo-Gangetic plains but pollution due to gaseous material in the state is within the corresponding prescribed limits. Nonetheless, plans are in place for curbing particulate matter pollution as well."
Dean of School of Earth, Biological and Environmental Sciences at Central University of South Bihar, Pradhan Parth Sarthi, echoed similar views and claimed that places in the Indo-Gangetic plains, including east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar suffer from pollution due to dust particles brought by winds coming from north-western parts of the country. "Vehicular pollution is another factor for higher level of air pollution in the region," he said.
IQAir report apart, the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin issued by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) also indicate higher level of air pollution in the state. Five cities each from Bihar were in "very poor" and "poor" category of air quality on Wednesday.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor' and 301 and 400 'very poor'. According to CPCB, "very poor" day can cause respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure and "poor" AQI can lead to breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure.