Kinnaur District In Himachal Pradesh Has The Cleanest Air In India, According To IIT!
A study by the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, which looked at exposure to PM 2.5 and the number of premature deaths caused by pollution, has revealed that Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh is the cleanest district in India, while Delhi is the dirtiest metropolitan area in the country.
PM 2.5 stands for particulate matter that is less than 2.5 microns in size. These tiny pollutants make the air look hazy and can cause bronchitis, allergies, persistent coughs and inflammation of the airways. Chronic exposure to these fine particles that are emitted from vehicles could lead to premature death as a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke and lung cancer.
The air in Kinnaur is so clean that the particulate matter levels are less than 10% of the air quality target!
According to the researchers, who relied on satellite-based estimates, PM 2.5 levels in Kinnaur were found to be 3.7+-1 microgram per cubic metre (g/m³) annually, which is less than 10% of the national air quality target of 40g/m³.
On the other hand, Delhi's PM 2.5 levels stood at 148+-51g/m³ annually, which is several times higher than the safe limit.