The latest WHO report on pollution, which listed 30 Indian cities among the world’s 100 most polluted cities, is “misleading”, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday.
India will now release its own data on air pollution of major cities across the US and Europe to show people “the whole picture”, he added.
Last week, the report ranked Delhi as the 11th most polluted city in the world. The calculation was made on the basis of particulate matter PM 10 and PM 2.5.
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We will come out with the statistics as people should know the whole picture. There are many cities in the western countries as well that are suffering. So, let citizens know that pollution problem is all over, in different categories and degrees.Prakash Javadekar, Environment Minister
Javadekar also alleged that the report did not take into consideration several other pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, and said the western countries should focus on themselves.
According to the minister, the central government has now started studying the ill-effects of recently discovered PM1 on health.
He also added that the ministry is working with several stakeholders to improve the quality of air in the capital.
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