India’s air dirtiest, but clean-up budget slashed
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has cut federal allocations to tackle urban air pollution by half, even as India’s cities remain among the most polluted globally
Category: Coping with air pollution
Severe air pollution can heighten Covid-19 risk in South Asia
Health experts call on governments in South Asia to clean up their act as high levels of air pollution could worsen the severity and spread of the coronavirus pandemic
How to make clean air plans work in Indian cities
Implementation of the clean air plans for India’s cities can work if there are legal mandates, clear targets and accountability, coordination and sufficient funding
Air pollution robs over five years of life in South Asia
In northern India, including Delhi, life expectancy shrivels by around nine years from breathing filthy air, a situation that can be reversed only through drastic policy changes and action
Lack of access to air quality data hampers effective action
Governments need to urgently reduce air pollution, a leading health risk in developing countries, and providing quality data in the public domain is a key first step
India can keep its air as clean as during lockdown
The Covid-19 lockdown achieved 95% of the target set by India’s clean air programme in four major cities, holding important lessons to curb air pollution round the year
