India overtook China's air pollution levels in 2015 and the average particulate matter exposure was higher for the first time in the 21st century, a Greenpeace analysis of NASA satellite data has shown.
India overtook China's air pollution levels in 2015 and the average particulate matter exposure was higher for the first time in the 21st century, a Greenpeace analysis of NASA satellite data has shown.
"China's strong measures to curb pollution have contributed to the biggest year-on-year air quality improvement on record while in contrast, India's pollution levels continued a decade-long increase to reach the highest level on record," Greenpeace India said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Paris Climate Conference focused on the issue of carbon emissions.
Measures like odd-even plan and car-free day have already been implemented by the government to reduce the pollution level.
Greenpeace, in its National Air Quality Index (NAQI) ranking report, had earlier said that as many as 15 out of 17 Indian cities with NAQI stations showed levels of air pollution that far exceeded the prescribed Indian standards.
The NGO said India's NAQI network with 39 operating stations also compares poorly with the 1,500 stations in China.
"The satellite images until 2005 showed India's pollution, while serious, was lot lower than eastern China's.
In 2015, India particulate pollution stands higher than that of China, after increasing at an average rate of 2 per cent over the past decade," it said.
"The air pollution crisis is an opportunity to test India's emergency response plan and design coordinated action for a 'Clean Air Nation'," said Sunil Dahiya, Campaigner, Greenpeace India.
Greenpeace also stressed on India to lay down a focused and time bound action plan to mitigate air pollution crisis.
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