Between 2000 and 2022, annual sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions in India grew by approximately 150 percent. During this same period, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions increased by almost 71 percent. Exposure to both these air pollutants can lead to a variety of health issues in humans, including respiratory problems. They are formed during the burning of fossil fuels in sources such as road transportation and power plants.

Byrnihat was the most polluted city in India in 2024, with an average PM2.5 concentration of nearly 130 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m³). This high level of pollution made the small industrial town on the Assam Meghalaya border the most polluted cities worldwide in 2024. Poor air quality across India India was the fifth-most polluted country in the world in 2024, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 50.6 μg/m³. That same year, the country's capital New Delhi was also the most polluted capital city in the world. Vehicle exhaust and wood burning are some of the main sources of particulate air pollution in India, together with soil, road and construction dust . Impacts of air pollution in India The severe air pollution in India can have detrimental health impacts on the country's population. Fine particle pollutants penetrate deeply in the lungs, causing respiratory problems and can even result in premature death. More than two million deaths are attibuted to air pollution in India every year.

The datasets contains date- and state-wise historically compiled data on air quality (by pollution level) in rural and urban areas of India from the year 2015 , as measured by Central Pollution Board (CPCB) through its daily (24 hourly measurements, taken at 4 PM everyday) Air Quality Index (AQI) reports.

The CPCB measures air quality by continuous online monitoring of various pollutants such as Particulate Matter10 (PM10), Particulate Matter2.5 (PM2.5), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxide or Oxides of Nitrogen (NO2), Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ammonic (NH3) and Lead (Pb) and calculating their level of pollution in the ambient air. Based on the each pollutant load in the air and their associated health impacts, the CPCB calculates the overall Air Pollution in Air Quality Index (AQI) value and publishes the data. This AQI data is then used by CPCB to report the air quality status i.e good, satisfactory, moderate, poor, very poor and severe, etc. of a particular location and their related health impacts because of air pollution.

Per capita carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in India have soared in recent decades, climbing from 0.4 metric tons per person in 1970 to a high of 2.07 metric tons per person in 2023. Total CO₂ emissions in India also reached a record high in 2023. Greenhouse gas emissions in India India is the third-largest CO₂ emitter globally, behind only China and the United States. Among the various economic sectors of the country, the power sector accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in India, followed by agriculture. Together, these two sectors were responsible for more than half of India's total emissions in 2023. Coal emissions One of the main reasons for India's high emissions is the country's reliance on coal, the most polluting of fossil fuels. India's CO₂ emissions from coal totaled roughly two billion metric tons in 2023, a near sixfold increase from 1990 levels.

Annual particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in India averaged 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m³) in 2024. While annual PM2.5 levels have fallen roughly 30 percent since 2018, they remain more than 10 times above the World Health Organization's recommended limit of five µg/m³.

India IN: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data was reported at 184.300 Ratio in 2016. India IN: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 184.300 Ratio from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. India IN: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.World Bank: Health Statistics. Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution is the number of deaths attributable to the joint effects of household and ambient air pollution in a year per 100,000 population. The rates are age-standardized. Following diseases are taken into account: acute respiratory infections (estimated for all ages); cerebrovascular diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); ischaemic heart diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults (estimated above 25 years); and lung cancer in adults (estimated above 25 years).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

Delhi was India's most polluted state in 2023, with an average annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration of 102 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m³). Haryana followed, with PM2.5 levels averaging 88 μg/m³ for the year.

Abstract

Polluted air is a major health hazard in developing countries. Improvements in pollution monitoring and statistical techniques during the last several decades have steadily enhanced the ability to measure the health effects of air pollution. Current methods can detect significant increases in the incidence of cardiopulmonary and respiratory diseases, coughing, bronchitis, and lung cancer, as well as premature deaths from these diseases resulting from elevated concentrations of ambient Particulate Matter (Holgate 1999).

Scarce public resources have limited the monitoring of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) concentrations in developing countries, despite their large potential health effects. As a result, policymakers in many developing countries remain uncertain about the exposure of their residents to PM air pollution. The Global Model of Ambient Particulates (GMAPS) is an attempt to bridge this information gap through an econometrically estimated model for predicting PM levels in world cities (Pandey et al. forthcoming).

The estimation model is based on the latest available monitored PM pollution data from the World Health Organization, supplemented by data from other reliable sources. The current model can be used to estimate PM levels in urban residential areas and non-residential pollution hotspots. The results of the model are used to project annual average ambient PM concentrations for residential and non-residential areas in 3,226 world cities with populations larger than 100,000, as well as national capitals.

The study finds wide, systematic variations in ambient PM concentrations, both across world cities and over time. PM concentrations have risen at a slower rate than total emissions. Overall emission levels have been rising, especially for poorer countries, at nearly 6 percent per year. PM concentrations have not increased by as much, due to improvements in technology and structural shifts in the world economy. Additionally, within-country variations in PM levels can diverge greatly (by a factor of 5 in some cases), because of the direct and indirect effects of geo-climatic factors.

The primary determinants of PM concentrations are the scale and composition of economic activity, population, the energy mix, the strength of local pollution regulation, and geographic and atmospheric conditions that affect pollutant dispersion in the atmosphere.

Geographic coverage

The database covers the following countries: Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola
Antigua and Barbuda Argentina
Armenia Australia
Austria Azerbaijan
Bahamas, The
Bahrain Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus Belgium Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Rep. Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador Egypt, Arab Rep.
El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia
Faeroe Islands
Fiji
Finland France
Gabon
Gambia, The Georgia Germany Ghana
Greece
Grenada Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong, China
Hungary Iceland India
Indonesia
Iran, Islamic Rep.
Iraq
Ireland Israel
Italy
Jamaica Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea, Dem. Rep.
Korea, Rep. Kuwait
Kyrgyz Republic Lao PDR Latvia
Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao, China
Macedonia, FYR
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Mauritania
Mexico
Moldova Mongolia
Morocco Mozambique
Myanmar Namibia Nepal
Netherlands Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico Qatar
Romania Russian Federation
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovak Republic Slovenia
Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay Uzbekistan
Vanuatu Venezuela, RB
Vietnam Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Yemen, Rep. Yugoslavia, FR (Serbia/Montenegro)
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Kind of data

Observation data/ratings [obs]

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

The average number of deaths caused by air pollution in India was estimated at over two million in 2021. The number of deaths caused by air pollution in India has increased by almost 60 percent since 1990.

。（停止更新）IN：死亡率，源自家庭和环境空气污染：每10万人口数据按年更新，12-01-2016至12-01-2016期间平均值为184.300Ratio，共1份观测结果。CEIC提供的（停止更新）IN：死亡率，源自家庭和环境空气污染：每10万人口数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于World Bank，数据归类于Global Database的印度 – 表 IN.世界银行：卫生统计。

Delhi was India's most polluted state in 2023, with an average annual particulate matter (PM10) concentration of 208 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m³). Haryana followed, with PM10 levels averaging 196 μg/m³ for the year. PM10 is suspended coarse particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less. It can penetrate deep into the lungs and has been linked with a variety of adverse health effects, such as respiratory disease and cancer.

New Delhi was the most polluted city in India in 2024, based on an average air quality index (AQI) of 169. The seven most polluted cities in India in 2024 all had AQI levels above 150. An AQI between 151 and 200 is classified as unhealthy. Air pollution in India India was the third most polluted country in the world in 2023, behind only Bangladesh and Pakistan. The South Asian country recorded an average annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration of 54 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) that year, more than 10 times above the World Health Organization’s recommended limit. Health effects of air pollution Exposure to air pollution can lead to a range of health issues, such as strokes, respiratory conditions, and cardiovascular disease. Air pollution is attributable to millions of premature deaths every year around the world, with India one of the most affected countries.

As of March 2025, eight out of the 28 states presented groundwater contamination in India. Rajasthan and Assam were the states with most people being affected, with two million and 0.7 million people, respectively.

Compared to the Air Quality Index in March and April, 2019, the same time period in 2020 saw a decline of 51 percent in the southern city of Bengaluru in India. The nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) had suspended industrial production across sectors and curbed vehicular movement throughout the country. This brought down pollution levels significantly across Indian cities. Levels of nitrogen dioxide were also reported to have fallen according to satellite imagery.

The country went into lockdown on March 25, 2020, the largest in the world, restricting 1.3 billion people and got extended until May 17, 2020.

Almost 12 percent of all daily deaths in Delhi between 2008 and 2019 were linked to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels higher than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for safe exposure. Annual average exposure to PM2.5 in Delhi exceeded 100 micrograms per cubic meter of air in 2023. On average, 7.2 per cent of all daily deaths in these 10 major Indian cities were linked to PM2.5 air pollution during this period.

Air pollution was linked to an estimated 70 percent of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) deaths in India in 2021. Meanwhile, around 40 percent of stroke and ischaemic heart disease deaths were linked to air pollution. There are more than two million deaths attributable to air pollution in India every year.

Cehnnai observed a 25 percent reduction in average annual PM2.5 levels between 2019 and 2024. In comparison, Delhi - the second most polluted city India - saw PM2.5 levels rise 10 percent during this period.

The burning of fossil fuels in residential homes was responsible for a quarter of total outdoor PM2.5 pollution in India in 2021. The industry sector was the second-largest contributor to this harmful air pollutant, with a share of 15 percent.

Abstract

Purpose: The multi-country Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) is run by the World Health Organization's Multi-Country Studies unit in the Innovation, Information, Evidence and Research Cluster. SAGE is part of the unit's Longitudinal Study Programme which is compiling longitudinal data on the health and well-being of adult populations, and the ageing process, through primary data collection and secondary data analysis. SAGE baseline data (Wave 0, 2002/3) was collected as part of WHO's World Health Survey http://www.who.int/healthinfo/survey/en/index.html (WHS). SAGE Wave 1 (2007/10) provides a comprehensive data set on the health and well-being of adults in six low and middle-income countries: China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russian Federation and South Africa. Objectives: To obtain reliable, valid and comparable health, health-related and well-being data over a range of key domains for adult and older adult populations in nationally representative samples To examine patterns and dynamics of age-related changes in health and well-being using longitudinal follow-up of a cohort as they age, and to investigate socio-economic consequences of these health changes To supplement and cross-validate self-reported measures of health and the anchoring vignette approach to improving comparability of self-reported measures, through measured performance tests for selected health domains To collect health examination and biomarker data that improves reliability of morbidity and risk factor data and to objectively monitor the effect of interventions

Additional Objectives: To generate large cohorts of older adult populations and comparison cohorts of younger populations for following-up intermediate outcomes, monitoring trends, examining transitions and life events, and addressing relationships between determinants and health, well-being and health-related outcomes To develop a mechanism to link survey data to demographic surveillance site data To build linkages with other national and multi-country ageing studies To improve the methodologies to enhance the reliability and validity of health outcomes and determinants data To provide a public-access information base to engage all stakeholders, including national policy makers and health systems planners, in planning and decision-making processes about the health and well-being of older adults

Methods: SAGE's first full round of data collection included both follow-up and new respondents in most participating countries. The goal of the sampling design was to obtain a nationally representative cohort of persons aged 50 years and older, with a smaller cohort of persons aged 18 to 49 for comparison purposes. In the older households, all persons aged 50+ years (for example, spouses and siblings) were invited to participate. Proxy respondents were identified for respondents who were unable to respond for themselves. Standardized SAGE survey instruments were used in all countries consisting of five main parts: 1) household questionnaire; 2) individual questionnaire; 3) proxy questionnaire; 4) verbal autopsy questionnaire; and, 5) appendices including showcards. A VAQ was completed for deaths in the household over the last 24 months. The procedures for including country-specific adaptations to the standardized questionnaire and translations into local languages from English follow those developed by and used for the World Health Survey.

Content Household questionnaire 0000 Coversheet 0100 Sampling Information 0200 Geocoding and GPS Information 0300 Recontact Information 0350 Contact Record 0400 Household Roster 0450 Kish Tables and Household Consent 0500 Housing 0600 Household and Family Support Networks and Transfers 0700 Assets and Household Income 0800 Household Expenditures 0900 Interviewer Observations

Individual questionnaire 1000 Socio-Demographic Characteristics 1500 Work History and Benefits 2000 Health State Descriptions and Vignettes 2500 Anthropometrics, Performance Tests and Biomarkers 3000 Risk Factors and Preventive Health Behaviours 4000 Chronic Conditions and Health Services Coverage 5000 Health Care Utilization 6000 Social Cohesion 7000 Subjective Well-Being and Quality of Life (WHOQoL-8 and Day Reconstruction Method) 8000 Impact of Caregiving 9000 Interviewer Assessment

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

households and individuals

Universe

The household section of the survey covered all households in 19 of the 28 states in India which covers 96% of the population. Institutionalised populations are excluded. The individual section covered all persons aged 18 years and older residing within individual households.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

World Health Survey Sampling India has 28 states and seven union territories. 19 of the 28 states were included in the design representing 96% of the population. India used a stratified multistage cluster sample design. Six states were selected in accordance with their geographic location and level of development. Strata were defined by the 6 states:(Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), and locality (urban or rural). There are 12 strata in total. The 2000 Census demarcation was used as the sampling frame. Two stage and three stage sampling was adopted in rural and urban areas, respectively. In rural areas PSUs(villages) were selected probability proportional to size. The measure of size being the 2001 Census population in the village. SSUs (households) were selected using systematic sampling. TSUs (individuals) were selected using Kish tables. In urban areas, PSUs(city wards) were selected probability proportional to size. SSUs(census enumeration blocks), two were randomly selected from each PSU. TSU (households) were selected using systematic sampling. QSU (individuals) were selected as in rural areas. A sample of 379 EAs was selected as the primary sampling units(PSU).

SAGE Sampling The SAGE sample was pre-determined as all PSUs and households selected for the WHS/SAGE Wave 0 survey were included. Exceptions are three PSUs in Assam which were replaced as they were inaccessible due to flooding. And a further six PSUs were omitted for which the household roster information was not available. In each selected EA, a listing of the households was conducted to classify each household into the following mutually exclusive categories: 1)Households with a WHS/SAGE Wave 0 respondent aged 50-plus: all members aged 50-plus including the WHS/SAGE Wave 0 respondent were eligible for the individual interview. 2)Households with a WHS/SAGE Wave 0 respondent aged 47-49: all members aged 50-plus including the WHS/SAGE Wave 0 respondent aged 47-49 was eligible for the individual interview. 3)Households with a WHS/SAGE Wave 0 female respondent aged 18-46: all females members aged 18-49 including the WHS/SAGE Wave 0 female respondent aged 18-46 were eligible for the individual interview. 4)Households with a WHS/SAGE Wave 0 male respondent aged 18-46: three households were selected using systematic sampling and one male aged 18-49 was eligible for the individual interview. In the households not selected, all members aged 50-plus were eligible for the individual interview.

Stages of selection Strata: State, Locality=12 PSU: EAs=375 surveyed SSU: Households=10424 surveyed TSU: Individual=12198 surveyed

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f] PAPI

Research instrument

The questionnaires were based on the WHS Model Questionnaire with some modification and many new additions. A household questionnaire was administered to all households eligible for the study. A Verbal Autopsy questionnaire was administered to households that had a death in the last 24 months. An Individual questionniare was administered to eligible respondents identified from the household roster. A Proxy questionnaire was administered to individual respondents who had cognitive limitations. A Womans Questionnaire was administered to all females aged 18-49 years identified from the household roster. The questionnaires were developed in English and were piloted as part of the SAGE pretest in 2005. All documents were translated into Hindi, Assamese, Kanada and Marathi. SAGE generic questionnaires are available as external resources.

Cleaning operations

Data editing took place at a number of stages including: (1) office editing and coding (2) during data entry (3) structural checking of the CSPro files (4) range and consistency secondary edits in Stata

Response rate

Household Response rate=88% Cooperation rate=92%

Individual: Response rate=68% Cooperation rate=92%

The number of disability adjusted life year across the south Asian country of India due to air pollution was approximately 5.53 million in 2019, down from around 68 million in 1990. A significant decrease in DALY was seen over the years from 1990 in the country.