Study reveals poor air pollution levels in cities receiving clean air awards

According to an analysis conducted by a team from the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc), cities that have been granted clean air awards were found to have poor air quality. The study suggests that receiving an award does not necessarily ensure that the people living in those cities are breathing clean air.

A total of 10 cities were awarded under the Clean Air Survey 2026. These cities include small towns with a population of less than 3 lakh to large cities with a population of more than 10 lakh. These awards have been being given for the last five years. The main objective of this award was to encourage the 131 cities that failed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) between 2011 and 2015 to improve their air quality.

As per a report by BBC News Hindi, the IISc study has raised questions over the methodology adopted under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and the criteria for awarding. Professor Ashish Verma, coordinator of the Sustainable Transportation Lab at IISc, stated that the current methodology does not assess actual pollution levels. Instead, more focus is placed on whether the rules and processes set by the administration have been followed.

The assessment methodology also does not include the Air Quality Index (AQI) released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). BBC News Hindi has emailed the CPCB regarding this matter, and the report will be updated after receiving their response.

Professor Ashish Verma cited the examples of Lucknow and Indore, which ranked first and second in the Clean Air Survey 2026. Both these cities fall into the category of cities with a population of more than 10 lakh. He stated that these cities received almost full marks. Lucknow received 198 out of 200 marks, meaning it has met almost all the prescribed criteria.

However, when last year's AQI figures for Lucknow were examined, it was found that its AQI was 374 in the month of December. According to CPCB standards, an AQI of 374 falls in the 'very poor' category. As per CPCB's AQI standards, an AQI between 0 to 50 is considered good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 poor, 301 to 400 very poor, and more than 400 falls in the severe category. Professor Verma added that when Lucknow's AQI was recorded in the very poor category, it is surprising to consider it a city that fully complies with standards, as an award implies that everything is fine there.

Data from other high-ranking cities show a similar situation. Indore's AQI was 192, Jabalpur's 196, Bhopal's approximately 202, Agra's 324, Surat's 229, and Raipur's 238. This is because the AQI figures collected by the CPCB itself have not been included in the ranking criteria.

The report also draws attention to another important aspect. Korba city in Chhattisgarh, which falls in the second category, has a population of approximately 3.5 lakh and is a major hub for coal-based industries. Similarly, Talcher, Angul, and Kalinganagar cities fall in the third category, with populations of less than 3 lakh. These cities are known for large factories, aluminium, and thermal power plants. The report states that these cities are primarily identified as industrial cities and may be ahead of many large metro cities in terms of per capita industrial pollution.

Prakash Duraiswamy, head of the air quality team at the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) in Bengaluru, expressed a different view on this report. He stated that while the report contains some aspects that should be considered, his opinion on some of their points is entirely different.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) holds the position of India's leading public research university. It is located in Bengaluru and is known for research in the fields of science and engineering.