A recent air pollution analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE’s) air pollution analysis found that the three-year average levels of PM 2.5 — atmospheric particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns — during 2016-18 were 25% lower than the 2011-14 baseline. Though the number of days with severe PM 2.5 levels has come down since 2015, the CSE says Delhi still needs to cut pollution levels by 65% to meet global air quality standards.
According to the State of Global Air Report 2019, published earlier this year by the Bostonbased Health Effects Institute, an estimated 846 million people in India were exposed to household air pollution in 2017. That’s 60% of the country’s population.