New Delhi, India: On Friday, February 3rd, a group of citizens arrived at the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) office to demand immediate revision of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of India. The activists—many of whom wore hazmat suits and gas masks to highlight concerns around air pollution—included working women cyclists of the Power The Pedal community, mothers, students, environmental activists and public health advocates. 

In 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revised their recommended Air Quality Standards based on latest scientific insights. In April 2022, Greenpeace India sent an open letter along with a petition signed by over 10,000 citizens to the CPCB demanding urgent revision of India’s Air Quality Standards. However, despite several months passing since, the NAAQS have not been updated.

Over the past week, Greenpeace India volunteers visited many of Delhi’s iconic locations wearing Hazmat suits and gas masks to raise concerns about the capital’s hazardous air quality. India’s annual concentration standards for pollutants continue to be 40 µg/m³ for PM2.5 & NO2 – a figure much higher than WHO’s standards of 5 µg/m³ for particulate matter and 10 µg/m³ for N02. The participants are also generating support for the ongoing petition addressed to New Delhi’s Chief Minister demanding a better public transportation system for cleaner air.

Amruta S. Nair, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace India, commented, “Air pollution has emerged as a major health crisis in India, and a financial disaster affecting millions of people. The current standards do not reflect the latest science on the impacts of air pollution on human health, especially on vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens, women, daily wage labourers, sexual minorities and more. Air pollution is becoming a huge factor in out-of-pocket expenditures, which is aggravating inequalities in society. Unfortunately, the existing standards offer politicians and policymakers leeway to ignore such a big health emergency.”

“As a common woman who is a domestic worker and a homemaker, it makes me extremely proud to voice for a cause that affects our everyday lives. Our health is at stake – I don’t want my children to step out wearing hazmat suits bearing the burden of an unsafe future. Our health and our future needs to be taken care of, and it is the responsibility of both citizens and the government,” said Kusum, a Power The Pedal cyclist. 

With placards and banners saying, “Air Pollution Se Azadi” (freedom from air pollution), “Raise Your Standards” and “Clean Air is a Fundamental Right”, the citizens attempted to grab the attention of policymakers while raising awareness about the limitations of existing National Air Quality Standards. They also demanded transparency and accountability from the CPCB in its decision-making processes.

‘We are here to remind the CPCB that when we achieve the WHO guidelines for air quality, we will save millions of lives, billions of rupees, and future generations from the ravages of climate change and air pollution. I am here today as a mother, a woman and a concerned citizen, to ensure we are doing everything in our power to fight air pollution so we are able to ensure quality air and life to the people of this country,” said Bhavreen Kandhari, Founder, Warrior Moms.

Avinash Chanchal, Campaign Manager at Greenpeace India, added, “The CPCB has accepted our open letter and assured us that they will be updating the air quality standards shortly. We are going to continue reminding them regularly until it is done. It is also very important that the action against air pollution is holistic and all of us do our bit to fight it. With effective monitoring and assessment of the situation, we will be able to devise better transportation solutions that can help clean our air and build liveable cities.”

For more information contact 

Avinash Kumar Chanchal, +91 8882153664, [email protected]
Nischita Verrendra, +91 9845828096, [email protected]
Mayank Jain Parichha, +91 9958528806, [email protected]