Live Air Quality Dashboard
Real-time PM2.5 data from 20+ Indian cities — the primary health-relevant metric. WHO 2021 guideline: 5 µg/m³ annual average.
LIVE — Connecting to WAQI API...
Why PM2.5, not AQI? — AQI is a composite index that can mask dangerous pollution levels. PM2.5 is the primary driver of mortality (Lancet GBD 2021: 4.7M global deaths). All health impact models (GEMM, GBD) use PM2.5 concentration, not AQI. Learn more →
Delhi 2025: Best Air in 8 Years — Annual PM2.5 at 96 µg/m³ (still 19× WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³). 79 good/satisfactory days by Indian AQI standards.
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µg/m³ PM2.5
Delhi Live PM2.5
--× WHO guideline
AQI: --
1.7M
Deaths/Year India
Lancet 2025 (PM2.5)
9.5%
GDP Loss
$339B/yr (2022)
96
Delhi Annual PM2.5
19× WHO (2025 avg)
--
Worst City PM2.5
Right now
Delhi-NCR GRAP Status
Stage I
201-300
201-300
Stage II
301-400
301-400
Stage III
401-450
401-450
Stage IV
450+
450+
🏛️ Featured Research: World Bank (December 2025)
NEW
"A Breath of Change: Solutions for Cleaner Air in the IGP-HF"
~1B
People Affected
1M
Deaths/Year
10%
GDP Loss
Covers Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan. Identifies 5 key sources: household cooking, industry, vehicles, crop burning, waste. Proposes "Four I's" framework: Information, Incentives, Institutions, Infrastructure.
Why it matters for JanVayu:
"Accessible and reliable data for planning and accountability" — validates citizen-led monitoring.
"Accessible and reliable data for planning and accountability" — validates citizen-led monitoring.
Environmental Justice:
Report emphasizes protecting "children and vulnerable communities during transition."
Report emphasizes protecting "children and vulnerable communities during transition."
Worst Cities Now
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Best Cities Now
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Latest Updates
View all
1 billion affected, 1M deaths/yr, 10% GDP loss in IGP-HF region
v14: Clean Air Mission Tracker + World Bank Four I's integration
7.2% of Delhi daily deaths from PM2.5 above WHO guideline
Metro Cities AQI (Live)
North vs South India
Health Calculator
Calculate your personal risk
Economic Impact
Business productivity loss
Accountability
Mission Tracker & RTI tools
Citizen Voices
Public response & action
Personal Health Risk Calculator
Estimate your health risk from air pollution using the Global Exposure Mortality Model (GEMM) — the gold standard for PM2.5 mortality estimation.
🔬 Why PM2.5, Not AQI?
❌ Problems with AQI
- Masking effect: Reports only the worst pollutant — other dangerous levels hidden
- Breakpoint misalignment: India's "satisfactory" (AQI 50-100) allows PM2.5 up to 60 µg/m³ — 12× WHO guideline
- Not used in health models: GEMM, GBD, IER all use PM2.5 concentration, not composite indices
- International incomparability: Different countries use different AQI scales
✅ Why PM2.5 is the Standard
- Primary mortality driver: GBD 2021 attributes 4.72M global deaths to PM2.5 (7.9% of adult deaths)
- Health models calibrated to PM2.5: GEMM exposure-response functions use µg/m³
- WHO guidelines in PM2.5: 5 µg/m³ annual, 15 µg/m³ 24-hour (2021 update)
- Effects at low levels: Mortality associations found even below 10 µg/m³
Key insight: Delhi's AQI might show "moderate" (100) while PM2.5 is 60 µg/m³ — that's still 12× the WHO guideline and associated with significant excess mortality risk.
Your PM2.5 Exposure Profile
● WHO guideline: 5 |
● Delhi avg: 96 |
● India NAAQS: 40
Your Results
Estimated Excess Mortality Risk
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Compared to WHO guideline (5 ug/m3)
Estimated Life-Years Lost
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Equivalent Cigarettes/Day
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Berkeley Earth methodology
Safe Outdoor Hours Calculator
⚠️ Vulnerable Groups — Special Risks
🤰 Pregnancy & Fetal Development
Air pollution crosses the placenta. Effects on unborn children:
- Low birth weight: 15-20% higher risk at high PM2.5
- Preterm birth: 10% increased risk
- Smaller head circumference: Linked to cognitive delays
- Stillbirth: 2-3% increased risk
- Autism/ADHD: Emerging evidence of links
Advice: Pregnant women should avoid outdoor exercise when AQI >100. Use air purifier in bedroom.
Sources: Lancet Planetary Health 2022, ICMR studies
👶 Children (0-14 years)
Children are not small adults — they're uniquely vulnerable:
- Breathe 50% more air per kg body weight
- Lungs still developing until age 18
- Play closer to ground (higher PM concentration)
- Cannot self-protect (won't complain of symptoms)
- Lifetime impact: Early damage = lifelong reduced lung capacity
Impact: Delhi children have 40% reduced lung capacity vs. clean air cities (CPCB study).
🧠 Mental Health Impact
Air pollution affects the brain, not just lungs:
- Depression: 10% higher risk at high PM2.5
- Anxiety: Elevated cortisol from pollution stress
- Cognitive decline: Accelerated in elderly
- Dementia risk: 40% higher in polluted areas
- Children: Lower IQ scores, behavioral issues
Mechanism: PM2.5 particles can reach the brain via olfactory nerve, causing inflammation.
Sources: Lancet Neurology 2021, AIIMS Delhi research
👴 Elderly (65+)
- Weakened immune response
- Pre-existing heart/lung conditions
- Less able to avoid exposure
- Higher hospitalization rates
🏃 Outdoor Workers
- Traffic police, delivery workers, construction
- 8-12 hours daily exposure
- Heavy breathing increases intake
- No protective equipment provided
⚖️ Environmental Justice — Who Bears the Burden?
The uncomfortable truth: Air pollution in India is not an equal-opportunity killer. The poor, informal workers, lower-caste communities, and women bear a vastly disproportionate burden — yet policy discourse centers on middle-class urban concerns like odd-even schemes and air purifiers.
🔥 Household Air Pollution — The Invisible Epidemic
481,700 deaths/year in India from household air pollution (HAP) — nearly 30% of India's air pollution deaths. Yet NCAP focuses almost exclusively on ambient air.
- Solid fuel use: 49% of Indian households still cook with biomass, dung cakes, or wood (Census 2021)
- Chulha exposure: Kitchen PM2.5 during cooking reaches 500-2000 µg/m³ — equivalent to smoking 400 cigarettes/day
- Women's burden: Women spend 3-7 hours/day near cooking fires; 60% of HAP deaths are women
- Children's exposure: Infants often strapped to mothers' backs during cooking; under-5 respiratory infections
- Ujjwala gaps: 10 crore connections given, but refill rates only 3.5/year vs 6-7 needed — cost barrier forces return to biomass
Class dimension: Urban poor in informal settlements face both HAP from cooking and ambient pollution — double burden invisible to AQI monitors.
Sources: GBD 2021, NSSO 2022, TERI HAP studies
👷 Occupational Exposure — Unprotected Workers
93% of India's workforce is informal — with no occupational health standards for ambient air exposure. The formal sector gets WFH; workers breathe poison.
- Street vendors: 10-14 hours/day at roadsides; PM2.5 exposure 3-5× higher than residents
- Auto/taxi drivers: 8-12 hours in traffic; no cabin filtration; study found 40% higher respiratory symptoms
- Traffic police: 8 hours at intersections; Delhi police study found PM2.5 exposure 300-400 µg/m³
- Construction workers: Silica dust + ambient PM; 1.1 crore workers, no respiratory protection mandated
- Waste pickers: Burn sites, landfills, sorting; mostly Dalit women; no health monitoring
- Brick kiln workers: 23 lakh kilns, PM levels 10-20× safe limits; bonded labor, no PPE
- Delivery workers: Gig economy; 50-100 km/day on roads; no employer health responsibility
Policy blind spot: GRAP bans construction, shuts industries — workers lose wages. No income support, no alternative employment.
🏘️ Spatial Injustice — Where You Live Matters
- Industrial proximity: Low-income housing systematically located near factories, refineries, power plants
- Highway adjacency: Slums built along arterial roads; PM2.5 50% higher within 100m of highways
- Landfill exposure: Ghazipur, Bhalswa, Okhla — surrounded by low-income settlements; methane + PM from fires
- No green buffers: Affluent colonies have parks; slums have concrete and open drains
- Monitor placement: CPCB monitors in institutional areas, not industrial clusters or slums — systematic under-measurement
Example: Anand Vihar AQI consistently 1.5-2× higher than Lodhi Road — but policy treats "Delhi" as homogeneous.
🔗 Caste, Class & Environmental Racism
- Manual scavenging: Still practiced despite ban; sewer deaths from toxic gases; predominantly Dalit
- Sanitation workers: Burn waste, clear drains; no protective gear; municipality neglect
- Cremation workers (Dom): 8-10 hours/day inhaling wood smoke + human remains; hereditary occupation
- Leather tanning: Kanpur, Chennai clusters; chromium + PM; historically caste-segregated
- Agricultural laborers: Stubble burning exposure in fields; landless workers can't "stay indoors"
Intersectionality: A Dalit woman waste picker faces caste discrimination + gender burden + occupational exposure + residential proximity — compounded vulnerability invisible to aggregate statistics.
🛡️ Adaptation Inequality — Protection is a Privilege
- Air purifiers: ₹10,000-50,000 + electricity cost; inaccessible to 70%+ households
- N95 masks: ₹50-200 each; informal workers can't afford daily replacement
- Sealed homes: Requires AC/ventilation; slum dwellings have gaps, no windows
- WFH option: Only 5-10% of workforce; rest must commute and work outdoors
- Relocation: "Move to Bangalore" advice assumes mobility, savings, networks
- Healthcare access: Private pulmonologists ₹1000+/visit; public hospitals overcrowded
📋 Policy Blind Spots — Who's Not at the Table?
- NCAP: Focuses on ambient PM10/PM2.5; HAP not integrated; no equity metrics
- GRAP: Construction bans hurt workers; no wage compensation; odd-even exempts two-wheelers (used by poor)
- Monitoring: 60% of CAAQMS in residential areas; industrial/slum clusters under-monitored
- Health data: Mortality studies use city averages; no disaggregation by income, caste, occupation
- Solutions discourse: EVs, purifiers, smog towers — all assume purchasing power
- Consultation: CAQM has no labor union, informal worker, or Dalit organization representation
Question: When Delhi shuts schools for pollution, which children go to air-conditioned malls, and which breathe the same air at home?
📊 The Numbers That Don't Make Headlines
481,700
HAP deaths/year
60% women
49%
Households on solid fuel
Rural: 65%
93%
Informal workforce
No air quality protections
3-5×
Higher exposure
Street vendors vs residents
Economic Cost of Air Pollution
Air pollution costs India an estimated 5.4% of GDP annually through healthcare, lost productivity, and premature deaths.
5.4%
GDP Loss
Rs 4.2L Cr
Annual Cost
1.36B
Workdays Lost
Rs 1.7L Cr
Healthcare
Business Productivity Loss Calculator
Economic Impact by Sector
Policy Effectiveness Tracker
Evaluating major air quality interventions by actual PM2.5 impact, evidence quality, and cost-effectiveness.
| Intervention | Years | PM2.5 Impact | Evidence | Cost-Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odd-Even Scheme | 2016, 2019 | -2% to -4% | Weak | Low |
| BS-VI Fuel Standards | 2020- | -10% to -15% | Strong | High |
| GRAP Stage IV | 2024-25 | -15% to -20% | Moderate | Medium |
| CNG Transition | 2001- | -25% | Strong | Very High |
| Stubble Burning Bans | 2015- | No change | Strong | Very Low |
| Smog Towers | 2021- | Negligible | Strong | Very Low |
NCAP Fund Utilization
GRAP Stages Explained
🆕 Dec 2024: GRAP now uses predictive activation (3-day forecast via IMD/IITM) instead of reactive triggers
Stage I (201-300): Water sprinkling, dust control
Stage II (301-400): DG set ban, parking fees 4x
Stage III (401-450): Construction ban, mining ban
Stage IV (450+): Truck entry ban, 50% WFH, school closures
Policy Recommendations — What Should Change
Evidence-based recommendations for more effective air quality management. These are citizen suggestions for policymakers.
🚨 72-Hour Persistence Rule for GRAP
Problem: GRAP stages are currently relaxed as soon as AQI dips below threshold, even briefly. This "yo-yo" effect leads to:
- Premature lifting of restrictions
- Pollution rebounds within 24-48 hours
- Public confusion about what rules apply
- Loss of cumulative health protection
Recommendation: GRAP stage should only be downgraded when AQI remains consistently below the threshold for at least 72 hours (3 consecutive days).
Rationale: Weather patterns typically cycle over 3-5 days. 72-hour persistence ensures improvement is sustained, not a temporary dip.
⏰ Anticipatory Activation
Problem: GRAP is reactive — activated only after AQI crosses threshold. By then, damage is done.
Recommendation:
- Use weather forecasts + stubble fire satellite data to predict AQI 48-72 hours ahead
- Activate GRAP stages proactively when forecast shows likely breach
- IMD already provides forecasts — integrate with GRAP trigger
Example: If weather + fire data predicts AQI 400+ in 48 hours, activate Stage III immediately.
🏫 Automatic School Closures
Problem: Schools remain open even during AQI 400-500. Children are most vulnerable.
Recommendation:
- AQI 200+: Mandatory indoor-only activities, no outdoor PT
- AQI 300+: Optional attendance, online available
- AQI 400+: Automatic closure, shift to online
- Real-time AQI monitors in every school (mandatory)
Legal basis: Right to Life (Article 21) includes right to clean air.
💰 Stubble — Fix the Economics
Problem: Burning is rational for farmers. Bans without alternatives don't work.
Recommendation:
- Direct cash transfer of ₹2,500/acre for non-burning (UP model)
- Same-season subsidy for Happy Seeder (not 2-year delay)
- Stubble procurement by biomass plants at MSP
- Free PUSA decomposer with doorstep delivery
Evidence: Punjab fires down 50%+ in districts with effective cash transfer programs.
🏭 Year-Round Industrial Standards
Problem: Industrial restrictions only during GRAP. Pollution is year-round problem.
Recommendation:
- Permanent emission standards for NCR industries (not seasonal)
- Mandatory pollution control equipment with real-time monitoring
- Public dashboard showing factory-wise emissions
- Automatic penalties via IoT sensors (not manual inspection)
🚗 Congestion Pricing (Not Odd-Even)
Problem: Odd-even has minimal impact (2-4% reduction) with high compliance cost.
Recommendation:
- Congestion charge for private vehicles entering central Delhi (like London, Singapore)
- Dynamic pricing based on AQI (higher fee on bad air days)
- Revenue funds public transport and EV infrastructure
- Exemptions for EVs, carpools, essential services
Evidence: London congestion charge reduced traffic 15%, emissions 12%.
Take Action: Use these recommendations in RTI applications, letters to MPs/MLAs, or media advocacy.
See Accountability tab for promise tracker and
Tools tab for RTI templates.
What Worked Globally — Success Stories
Other cities faced similar crises and fixed them. Delhi can too.
🇨🇳 Beijing, China
Problem: 2013 "Airpocalypse" — PM2.5 over 500 for weeks. Called "unlivable."
Solution:
- Closed/relocated 2,000+ factories
- Coal ban in surrounding provinces
- Strict vehicle quotas (lottery system)
- Massive public transit expansion
- ₹12,000 Cr/year enforcement
Result: PM2.5 down 50% in 6 years (2013-2019)
🇬🇧 London, UK
Problem: 1952 Great Smog killed 12,000. Chronic pollution through 1990s.
Solution:
- Clean Air Act 1956 (banned coal burning)
- Congestion charge 2003 (£15/day to enter central London)
- Ultra Low Emission Zone 2019
- Diesel scrappage schemes
- Public naming of polluting vehicles
Result: NO2 down 44% since 2016. Congestion down 15%.
🇺🇸 Los Angeles, USA
Problem: 1970s smog so bad children couldn't play outside. "Smog capital."
Solution:
- Catalytic converters mandated (1975)
- Strict CARB vehicle standards
- Refinery emission controls
- Electric vehicle incentives
- 40 years of consistent enforcement
Result: Ozone down 70%, PM2.5 down 50% since 1980.
🇮🇳 Surat, India
Problem: 1994 plague outbreak linked to poor sanitation and air quality.
Solution:
- Complete municipal overhaul
- Industrial relocation
- Strict waste management
- Public-private partnerships
- Citizen engagement campaigns
Result: Now India's second cleanest city (Swachh Survekshan)
Common Thread: All success stories required (1) political will at the highest level, (2) sustained enforcement over years, (3) significant financial investment, and (4) public pressure. None were solved in one election cycle.
Live City Comparison
Compare air quality across Indian cities and with international benchmarks. Data refreshes every 10 minutes from WAQI API.
Live Data: Fetching real-time AQI from monitoring stations. Last update: --
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Live AQI Comparison
Higher = Worse Air Quality
Live Air Quality Map
Real-time AQI for major Indian cities from WAQI API. Click markers for PM2.5, station name, and update time.
Live Data: Map markers show real-time AQI. Marker size indicates severity. Auto-refreshes every 10 minutes.
Historical Trends
Delhi's air quality shows strong seasonal patterns with winter months consistently worst. The data reveals both the scale of the crisis and the potential for improvement.
Delhi PM2.5 Trend (2015-2025)
Seasonal Pattern
Key Events Timeline
Nov 2016
Great Smog of Delhi
AQI crossed 999 (off scale). Schools closed. Emergency declared.
Jan 2016
First Odd-Even
Delhi's odd-even car rationing experiment. IIT study: 2-4% impact only.
2017
BS-IV Nationwide
Bharat Stage IV fuel standards rolled out. Helped reduce vehicular emissions.
2019
NCAP Launched
National Clean Air Programme for 131 cities. Target: 40% PM reduction by 2025-26.
Apr 2020
COVID Lockdown
PM2.5 dropped 50%+. Blue skies visible. Proved pollution is man-made and reversible.
Apr 2020
BS-VI Leapfrog
India skipped BS-V, went directly to BS-VI. Equivalent to Euro 6.
Aug 2021
Smog Tower Inaugurated
₹20 Cr tower at Connaught Place. Later found ineffective by IIT study.
Oct 2021
CAQM Established
Commission for Air Quality Management replaces EPCA. Given statutory powers.
Nov 2023
Post-Diwali Peak
AQI 500+ for 5 consecutive days. #DelhiChokes trends globally.
Dec 2024
Lancet Causal Study
Harvard/Karolinska: 1.5M deaths/year from PM2.5. First causal inference for India.
Dec 2024
GRAP Goes Predictive
New rules: 3-day advance activation based on IMD/IITM forecasts.
Jan 2025
Delhi's Best Air in 8 Years
79 good/satisfactory days. PM2.5: 96 µg/m³ (still 19x WHO limit).
🔬 What COVID Lockdown Proved
-52%
PM2.5 Reduction
Apr 2020 vs Apr 2019
-60%
NO2 Reduction
Vehicular pollution proxy
Himalayas
Visible from Punjab
First time in 30+ years
Key Insight: The lockdown proved pollution is not inevitable — it's a policy choice. If we can reduce emissions 50% in a week, we can do it permanently with political will.
Political Accountability Tracker
Tracking promises, court orders, budget allocations, and outcomes. NEW: Clean Air Mission Tracker with independent verification of NCAP interventions. Use RTI to demand transparency. Democracy requires accountability.
🎯 Promises vs Reality
| Statement/Promise | By Whom | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| "No conclusive data on pollution deaths" | Union Environment Ministry | July 2024 | Contradicts ICMR-Lancet Studies |
| "Delhi's air will be clean within 3 years" | Delhi CM | 2020 | Failed |
| "40% PM2.5 reduction by 2026" | MoEFCC (NCAP) | 2019 | 25-27% Achieved (CREA) |
| "Stubble burning will end this year" | Punjab CM | 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | Repeated Every Year |
| "Smog towers will solve pollution" | DPCC/IIT | 2021 | ₹20Cr Wasted |
| "1000 electric buses by 2023" | Delhi Transport | 2021 | ~400 Deployed |
| "All brick kilns will use zigzag tech" | CPCB | 2019 | 30% Compliance |
| "Real-time source apportionment" | MoEFCC | 2022 | 50/130 Cities Only |
| "Odd-even will reduce pollution 15%" | Delhi Govt | 2016 | 2-4% Only (IIT Study) |
| "NCAP funds fully utilized" | MoEFCC/States | 2019-25 | Delhi: 17% (RTI 2025) |
📊 Clean Air Mission Tracker — Independent Verification
NEW v14.0
Why This Matters: Government self-reporting often conflates announcements with implementation. This tracker uses independent verification
(RTI responses, satellite data, academic studies, field reports) to assess actual operational status of clean air interventions.
📏 Evidence Grading Scale (E1-E5)
E1
Announcement Only
Announcement Only
E2
Pilot/Partial
Pilot/Partial
E3
Implemented, Unverified
Implemented, Unverified
E4
Operational, Measured
Operational, Measured
E5
Evidence-Based Operational
Evidence-Based Operational
| Intervention | Category | Announced | Grade | Verification Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BS-VI Fuel Standards | Transport | 2020 | E4 | Operational nationwide. CPCB shows 15-25% SO₂ reduction in monitoring stations. |
| Delhi Metro Expansion (Phase 4) | Transport | 2019 | E3 | 65km operational, 45km under construction. Ridership impact on emissions unquantified. |
| Electric Bus Fleet (1000 buses) | Transport | 2021 | E2 | ~400 deployed (RTI 2025). Target repeatedly missed. Charging infra incomplete. |
| Odd-Even Scheme | Transport | 2016 | E1 | IIT study: 2-4% reduction only. Exemptions undermine effectiveness. Seasonal deployment. |
| Brick Kiln Zigzag Technology | Industrial | 2019 | E2 | 30% compliance (CPCB 2024). Enforcement weak. Seasonal operation continues. |
| Industrial Emission Standards (FGD) | Industrial | 2015 | E3 | Multiple deadline extensions. ~35% thermal plants compliant (CEA 2024). |
| Stubble Management Subsidies | Agricultural | 2018 | E2 | ₹3,062 Cr allocated (2018-24). NASA FIRMS shows 30% fewer fires in 2024 vs 2021 peak. |
| PUSA Bio-Decomposer | Agricultural | 2020 | E3 | Free distribution in Delhi. Efficacy disputed. Adoption rate low outside Delhi. |
| Mechanical Road Sweeping | Dust | 2019 | E3 | 64% of NCAP funds spent on dust control (CSE). Impact on PM2.5 not quantified. |
| Smog Towers | Dust | 2021 | E1 | ₹20 Cr spent. IIT-Bombay: "Negligible impact beyond 50m radius." Photo-op policy. |
| Construction Site Dust Screens | Dust | 2017 | E2 | NGT mandate. ~40% compliance (DPCC inspections). No impact measurement. |
| Waste Burning Ban Enforcement | Waste | 2015 | E1 | Open burning continues. Fines rarely collected. Landfill fires persist at Ghazipur, Bhalswa. |
🏛️ World Bank "Four I's" Framework Assessment
The World Bank's December 2025 report identifies four pillars essential for clean air progress. We assess India's NCAP against this framework:
📊 Information
"Accessible, reliable data for planning and accountability"
India Status: CPCB CAAQMS coverage expanding but gaps remain. Real-time source apportionment only in 50/130 cities. JanVayu fills citizen data gap.
PARTIAL
💰 Incentives
"Encourage behavioral and investment shift"
India Status: EV subsidies exist but reach limited. Stubble payment inadequate (₹1000/acre vs ₹5000 needed). Ujjwala refill subsidy insufficient.
WEAK
🏛️ Institutions
"Coordinate action, ensure compliance"
India Status: CAQM created 2021 but limited enforcement. Inter-state coordination remains blame-game. NCAP city action plans inconsistent.
WEAK
🔧 Infrastructure
"Enable clean energy, transport, waste systems"
India Status: Metro expansion ongoing. EV charging patchy. Waste management infrastructure decades behind need. Industrial modernization slow.
PARTIAL
⚖️ Court Orders Tracker
| Order | Court | Date | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR" | Supreme Court | 2018, 2020, 2021... | Violated Every Diwali |
| "Stop stubble burning immediately" | NGT | Multiple orders | Ignored |
| "Implement GRAP without delay" | Supreme Court | Nov 2024 | Partial |
| "Compensate farmers for not burning" | NGT | 2021 | Inadequate |
| "Install smog guns at all construction" | NGT | 2019 | ~40% Sites Only |
| "Phase out 15-year-old diesel vehicles" | NGT | 2015 | Ongoing |
💰 Budget & Fund Utilization
NCAP Funds (2019-2025)
- Allocated: ₹11,211 crore to 131 cities
- Utilized: ~₹7,594 crore (68%) — CREA 2025
- Delhi shame: ₹81.36 Cr allocated, only ₹14.1 Cr (17%) spent — RTI Jan 2025
- Where it went: 64% on dust control (sweeping, sprinkling) — CSE
- What's missing: Only 50/130 cities completed source apportionment
Source: RTI Jan 2025, CREA Report April 2025, CSE Assessment
State Budgets for Air Quality
- Delhi (2024-25): ₹500 Cr (0.6% of budget)
- Punjab stubble: ₹300 Cr (mostly unspent)
- Haryana: ₹150 Cr (for 14 cities)
- UP: ₹400 Cr (mostly road dust)
Compare: Delhi health budget ₹9,800 Cr. Pollution causes 10-15% of health burden.
🎪 Who's Responsible? The Blame Game Decoded
Delhi Government
- Local transport (buses, autos)
- Municipal waste burning
- Construction dust in Delhi
- Industrial emissions (local)
- Road dust management
~35-40% of winter PM2.5
Punjab/Haryana
- Stubble burning (Oct-Nov)
- Brick kilns
- Industrial clusters
- Thermal power plants
~25-35% during peak burning season
Central Government
- Vehicle emission standards
- Fuel quality (BS-VI)
- NCAP funding & oversight
- Interstate coordination
- Thermal plant norms
Policy framework & inter-state issues
The Real Problem: Everyone points to everyone else. CAQM was created in 2021 to coordinate, but has limited enforcement power. Solution requires political will across party lines.
RTI Filing Guide
What is RTI?
The Right to Information Act 2005 gives every Indian citizen the right to request information from government bodies. Use it to demand air quality data, fund utilization details, and action reports.
Where to File
- CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) — National air quality data, NCAP funds
- DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee) — Delhi-specific data
- State PCBs — State-level pollution data
- MoEFCC — Policy decisions, national programs
- CAQM — Delhi-NCR GRAP implementation
How to File
- Online: rtionline.gov.in (Rs 10 fee)
- By Post: Send to CPIO of relevant department with Rs 10 postal order
- Response Time: 30 days (can extend to 45 days)
- Appeals: First Appeal within 30 days, then CIC
Key Addresses
CPCB: Parivesh Bhawan, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi-110032
DPCC: 4th Floor, ISBT Building, Kashmere Gate, Delhi-110006
MoEFCC: Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Road, New Delhi-110003
RTI Template
Copy and customize this template:
To,
The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO)
[CPCB / DPCC / MoEFCC / State PCB]
[Full Address - see guide]
Subject: Application under RTI Act, 2005
Sir/Madam,
I request the following information under
the Right to Information Act, 2005:
1. Total NCAP funds allocated to [city name]
in FY 2024-25 and utilization percentage
2. Station-wise PM2.5 and PM10 data for all
monitoring stations in [city] for [month/year]
3. Number of challans issued under GRAP
violations from [date] to [date]
4. Action Taken Report on industrial units
violating emission norms in [area]
5. Minutes of last 3 CAQM/EPCA meetings
I am depositing Rs 10/- as application fee
[via online portal / postal order no. ___]
Applicant Details:
Name: [Your Full Name]
Address: [Your Address]
Phone: [Your Number]
Email: [Your Email]
Date: [Today's Date]
Place: [Your City]
Signature: _______________
File Online
Citizen Voices & Viral Moments
Curated reactions from X/Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and news — documenting India's air crisis through citizen voices, memes, and viral content.
Curated Archive — Manually updated collection. Last curated: Jan 17, 2026
Live API integration requires paid access to X/Instagram APIs. For now, this is human-curated.
Live API integration requires paid access to X/Instagram APIs. For now, this is human-curated.
🔴 Follow Live on Social Media
🔥 Viral Memes & Moments (2024-25)
YT
Tanmay Bhat
@tanaborat
"Delhi NCR people explaining why they can't move out despite 500+ AQI every winter" 🎬 POV video showing Delhiites defending their city while coughing. 2.3M views.
IG
Delhi Meme Pages
@delhi.food.walks
"POV: You're a Delhi guy explaining to your Bangalore girlfriend why 400 AQI is actually 'not that bad'" 💀 Reel showing guy casually eating momos in smog. Sound: "Yeh toh normal hai yaar"
X
Pakchikpak Raja
@HasijaSaahab
"Stages of grief for Delhi people every November:
1. Denial: 'It's just fog'
2. Anger: 'F*** Punjab'
3. Bargaining: 'Maybe air purifier will help'
4. Depression: *cough*
5. Acceptance: 'Dilli hai dil walon ki'"
1. Denial: 'It's just fog'
2. Anger: 'F*** Punjab'
3. Bargaining: 'Maybe air purifier will help'
4. Depression: *cough*
5. Acceptance: 'Dilli hai dil walon ki'"
LI
Tech CEO (Anonymous)
LinkedIn Post
"Our Delhi office productivity drops 15% every November. WFH doesn't help — everyone's home air is bad too. We now offer 'pollution leave' and relocation allowance. This is a business problem, not just health."
R
r/delhi
Reddit
"Just moved to Bangalore from Delhi. It's been 2 weeks. I instinctively checked AQI this morning. It was 45. I cried. Actual tears. I didn't know air could be like this." — Top post, 4.2K upvotes
WA
Family WhatsApp
Forwarded meme
🏠 Flat in Delhi: ₹50L
🫁 Air Purifier: ₹50K
😷 N95 masks yearly: ₹5K
💨 Breathing clean air: Priceless
For everything else, there's dying slowly 💀
— Forwarded as received
🫁 Air Purifier: ₹50K
😷 N95 masks yearly: ₹5K
💨 Breathing clean air: Priceless
For everything else, there's dying slowly 💀
— Forwarded as received
TT
TikTok/Reels Trend
#DelhiSeHoon
🎵 Viral audio trend: "Main Delhi se hoon BC, mask pehenke ghumta hoon, oxygen cylinder pocket mein rakhta hoon" — Used in 50K+ reels showing people dramatically navigating smog
🎤
Stand-up Comics
Various
"Delhi people don't need meditation. We already practice 'mindful breathing' every day — very mindful, because each breath could be our last." — Multiple comics riffing on pollution, clips went viral.
🌍 International Media Coverage
NYT
New York Times
@nytimes
"Delhi, the world's most polluted capital, is choking its 32 million residents. The air quality index regularly exceeds 'hazardous' — 10x WHO limits."
BBC
BBC World
@BBCWorld
"Schools closed, flights diverted, hospitals overflowing: Delhi's annual air pollution crisis has become a public health emergency that claims millions of life-years."
WP
Washington Post
@washingtonpost
"Breathing in Delhi is equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day. Middle-class families are fleeing. The poor have nowhere to go."
📢 Serious Voices & Testimonies
AP
Dr. Arvind Kumar
Chest Surgeon, Sir Ganga Ram
"I've been operating on lungs for 30 years. In the 1980s, a non-smoker's lungs were pink. Today, even a 20-year-old non-smoker in Delhi has black spots. We are all smokers now — the city is smoking us."
SC
Supreme Court of India
Bench observation
"People are dying. This is not about statistics. This is Article 21 — right to life. If you can't give clean air, tell people to leave Delhi. We'll pass that order too."
SM
Sunita Mishra
Auto-rickshaw driver
"Mask lagane se sawari nahi milti, log darr jaate hain. Na lagaun toh raat ko khansi se neend nahi aati. Kya karein? Kaam bhi zaroori hai, sehat bhi."
"If I wear a mask, I lose passengers. If I don't, I cough all night."
"If I wear a mask, I lose passengers. If I don't, I cough all night."
👶
Pediatric ICU Nurse
AIIMS Delhi
"November-December, our PICU is 120% capacity. Babies gasping for breath. Parents crying. Every year same story. I tell them 'pollution' — they ask 'what can we do?' I have no answer."
PF
Punjab Farmer
Sangrur district
"Happy Seeder costs ₹1.5 lakh. Subsidy is ₹50K but takes 2 years. I earn ₹80K/year. I have 15 days between paddy harvest and wheat sowing. You give me a solution, I'll stop burning. Otherwise don't blame me sitting in AC offices."
VJ
Vimlendu Jha
@vaboramedia | Swechha
"20 years I've been fighting this. Every November, same script: AQI spikes → blame game → emergency measures → everyone forgets. Nothing structural ever changes. The system is designed to fail."
MM
Climate Migrant
Ex-Delhi, now Bangalore
"Took 30% pay cut to leave Delhi. My daughter had asthma attacks every week there. In Bangalore, she's had one in 8 months. Best financial decision I ever made was leaving."
🤰
Expecting Mother
Gurgaon resident
"Doctor said pollution increases risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery. My in-laws think I'm 'overreacting' by wearing N95. I've sealed our bedroom and run purifier 24/7. Still anxious every day."
⚖️ Voices from the Margins — Environmental Justice
These voices are often missing from mainstream air pollution discourse. The burden falls heaviest on those least responsible for it and least able to protect themselves.
🔥
Sunita Devi
Household cook, Jharkhand
"I got Ujjwala connection but cylinder costs ₹1100 now. We use it for tea, guests. Daily cooking is still on chulha — wood and dung. My eyes burn, I cough all the time. Doctor says lungs are damaged. But what choice do I have? We can't afford gas for three meals."
🚗
Mohammad Irfan
Auto-rickshaw driver, Delhi
"Sahab, I drive 10-12 hours daily. When AQI is 400-500, my chest feels like someone is sitting on it. But if I don't work, my family doesn't eat. N95 mask? ₹100 each, needs changing daily. I earn ₹500/day. You do the math. Rich people say 'stay indoors' — indoors where?"
🏗️
Ramesh Kumar
Construction worker, Noida
"When GRAP Stage 4 comes, construction stops. No work = no wages. We're daily wage, no PF, no ESI. Government says 'pollution emergency' but who compensates us? We sit at labor chowk hoping someone will hire. Our lungs or our stomachs — we have to choose."
🧹
Geeta (name changed)
Sanitation worker, MCD
"We sweep roads at 5 AM when pollution is highest. No masks given. We clear drains, burn dry leaves — supervisors tell us to. When someone complains about burning, we get blamed. Politicians talk about pollution but we are invisible. Our children also have asthma now."
♻️
Shanti Bai
Waste picker, Ghazipur
"We work on the mountain [Ghazipur landfill]. Fires happen, smoke everywhere. My lungs are finished. Hospital says TB, maybe cancer later. We sort plastic, get ₹10-15/kg. Companies make crores from our recycling. But when landfill catches fire, we breathe it. No one counts us in pollution deaths."
🚦
SI Rajesh Sharma
Traffic Police, Delhi
"8 hours at ITO intersection. They gave us masks once — the thin cloth ones, useless. Many colleagues have respiratory problems. Some got transferred to desk jobs after lung issues. But someone has to stand on roads. Our union demanded air quality allowance — rejected."
🏠
Fatima Begum
Domestic worker, South Delhi
"Madam's house has three air purifiers. When I clean, I breathe filtered air for 4 hours. Then I go to my jhuggi in Sangam Vihar — no filter, just smoke from neighbors' cooking. Madam says 'pollution is so bad' but never offers me a mask. The air doesn't know rich from poor, but protection does."
🏭
Bhim Singh
Brick kiln worker, UP
"We work in kiln 16 hours. Smoke is so thick you can't see. Owner says mask will slow work. My father died at 50 — lungs black, doctor said. I'm 35, already coughing blood. Government closed some kilns for pollution but didn't relocate workers. We moved to another kiln. What else can we do?"
📚 Researchers & Advocates Speaking Up
🎓
Dr. Bhim Rao (pseudonym)
Public Health Researcher
"Our mortality studies use city-level PM2.5 averages. We never disaggregate by caste, class, occupation. A Dalit sanitation worker in Okhla and a CEO in Golf Links breathe very different air, but our data treats them as 'Delhi residents.' This methodological choice is political."
📊
Environmental Justice Scholar
EPW Commentary
"The air pollution discourse in India is captured by middle-class anxieties — air purifiers, odd-even, school closures. Meanwhile, 500,000 women die annually from cooking smoke. This isn't ignorance; it's a choice about whose suffering counts."
🏛️ 2025: Government Positions & Contradictions
🏛️
Union Environment Ministry
Rajya Sabha Reply
"There is no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation of death/disease exclusively due to air pollution."
⚠️ This contradicts GBD 2021 data showing 4.72M global deaths from PM2.5, and Lancet studies showing 1.7M annual deaths in India alone.
⚠️ This contradicts GBD 2021 data showing 4.72M global deaths from PM2.5, and Lancet studies showing 1.7M annual deaths in India alone.
📊
RTI Revelation
NCAP Fund Utilization
"Under NCAP, ₹81.36 crore was allocated to Delhi over five years and just 17% was spent. In FY21-22, ₹11.25 crore allocated, ₹0 spent."
📈
Delhi Environment Minister
Manjinder Singh Sirsa
"2025 recorded Delhi's best air quality in 8 years. PM2.5 dropped from 104 to 96 µg/m³. We had 79 good/satisfactory days and only 8 severe days."
Note: 96 µg/m³ is still 19× the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³
Note: 96 µg/m³ is still 19× the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³
🔬
Dr. Petter Ljungman
Karolinska Institutet
"The results show that current guidelines in India are not sufficient to protect health. Stricter regulations and measures to reduce emissions are of utmost importance."
🔬 2024-2026: Scientific Research on PM2.5
📊
GBD 2021 Study
Lancet / IHME
"PM2.5 exposure was responsible for 4.72 million deaths globally (95% UI: 3.48-5.80M) in 2021, representing 7.9% of all natural deaths in adults aged 25+. Outdoor air pollution is now the 4th leading risk factor for death worldwide."
🎯
WHO 2021 Guidelines
Air Quality Guidelines
"The annual PM2.5 guideline has been halved from 10 to 5 µg/m³. Evidence shows mortality associations even at concentrations below 10 µg/m³. Over 90% of the global population lives in areas exceeding the new guideline."
⚠️
AQI Limitations
Scientific Community
"AQI's 'masking effect' reports only the dominant pollutant, hiding dangerous levels of others. India's 'satisfactory' AQI (50-100) allows PM2.5 up to 60 µg/m³ — 12× the WHO guideline. Health impact models use PM2.5 concentration, not AQI."
🇮🇳
Delhi Causal Study
Lancet Planetary Health
"Using causal modeling across 10 Indian cities, 7.2% of daily deaths were attributable to PM2.5 exceeding WHO guidelines. Delhi showed 1.42% increase in mortality per 10 µg/m³ PM2.5 increase."
📈
GEMM Model
Burnett et al.
"The Global Exposure Mortality Model estimates 8.9 million deaths globally from PM2.5 — 120% higher than previous GBD estimates. GEMM uses PM2.5 concentration in µg/m³, not composite AQI indices."
🌍
India PM2.5 Trend
State of Global Air
"India's population-weighted PM2.5 increased from 27 µg/m³ (1998) to 44 µg/m³ (2022) — now 9× the WHO guideline. India accounts for 26% of global air pollution deaths despite having 18% of world population."
📊 Viral Impact
#DelhiChokes
2.3M tweets in 48 hrs
Peak: Nov 2023
850K+
Reels on #DelhiSmog
Instagram 2024
50M+
YouTube views on Delhi AQI
Nov-Dec 2024
BBC, NYT
"World's Most Polluted"
International headlines
Take Action — What You Can Do
Practical, science-backed actions at every level — from your home to your community. Organized by context and budget. Every small action compounds.
Your Home GRAP — Personal Emergency Response
Just like the city has GRAP stages, create your own household response plan based on AQI levels.
| AQI Level | Your Home Response | Kids & Elderly | Outdoor Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-50 Good | Normal activities. Open windows for ventilation. | All activities normal | ✅ All outdoor activities |
| 51-100 Moderate | Sensitive individuals limit prolonged outdoor exertion | Reduce intense outdoor play | ⚠️ Limit strenuous exercise |
| 101-200 Poor | Keep windows closed. Run air purifier if available. | Indoor play preferred | 🚫 No jogging/cycling outdoors |
| 201-300 Very Poor | Seal windows. Wet mop floors. N95 if going out. | Stay indoors. No school commute if possible. | 🚫 Essential trips only with N95 |
| 301-400 Severe | DIY air filter running. Damp towels on gaps. Mask indoors if no purifier. | Consider staying with relatives in cleaner area | 🚫 Stay home. Work from home if possible. |
| 400+ Hazardous | Emergency mode. Multiple purifiers. Consider temporary relocation. | Relocate if child/elderly has respiratory condition | 🚫 Complete lockdown. Emergency only. |
🏠 Household Actions — By Budget
₹0 — Zero Cost Actions
- Wet mopping — Mop floors 2x daily to trap settled PM2.5 (study: reduces indoor PM by 20-30%)
- Spray plants — Mist indoor/balcony plants 2x daily; leaves trap particulates
- Seal gaps — Use wet towels/cloth to seal door & window gaps
- Cook timing — Avoid frying during peak pollution hours (6-10 AM)
- No agarbatti/dhoop — Incense adds PM2.5; skip during high AQI days
- No dry sweeping — Resuspends dust; always wet mop instead
- Nasal rinse — Saline water gargle & nose cleaning after outdoor exposure
- Kitchen exhaust — Always use chimney/exhaust while cooking
Source: CPCB guidelines, IIT-Delhi indoor air studies
₹500-2000 — Low Cost
- N95/N99 masks — ₹50-150 each. Only N95+ blocks PM2.5. Cloth masks don't work.
- DIY air purifier — Box fan (₹800) + HEPA filter (₹400) = 80% as effective as branded purifiers
- Indoor plants — Money plant, snake plant, areca palm (₹100-300 each). NASA study: 3-4 plants per room helps.
- Door draft stoppers — ₹200-400. Seal the gap under doors.
- Cling wrap windows — Temporary seal for severe days (₹100)
- Steam inhalation — Daily 10 min steam helps clear airways
- Compost bin — ₹500-1000. Reduce burning waste.
DIY purifier: Search "Smartair India" for instructions
₹5000+ — Investment Solutions
- HEPA air purifier — ₹8,000-50,000. Get CADR rating for your room size. Run 24/7 during bad days.
- AQI monitor — ₹3,000-8,000. Know your indoor vs outdoor levels.
- Car cabin filter — ₹1,500-3,000. Replace with HEPA filter for commute protection.
- Central AC filter upgrade — MERV-13 filters for ducted AC
- Window sealing — Professional weather stripping ₹5,000-15,000
- Multiple purifiers — One per bedroom + living area for severe season
- Electric cooking — Induction > LPG for indoor air quality
Purifier sizing: CADR ≥ 2/3 of room volume (m³)
👶 Kids — Indoor Activity Alternatives
When AQI >200, outdoor play is harmful. Children breathe faster and inhale more pollutants per kg body weight. Here are energy-burning indoor alternatives:
🏃 Physical Activity
- Indoor obstacle course
- Dance/Zumba videos
- Balloon volleyball
- Yoga for kids
- Hide and seek
- Indoor bowling (bottles)
🎨 Creative Play
- Arts & crafts
- Building blocks/Lego
- Playdough/clay
- Indoor gardening
- Science experiments
- Cooking together
🧠 Learning Games
- Board games
- Puzzles
- Reading time
- Educational apps (limited)
- Music/instruments
- Storytelling
⏰ Timing Tips
- Best outdoor window: 12-4 PM (usually lowest AQI)
- Avoid: 6-10 AM, 6-10 PM (peak hours)
- Check hourly AQI before deciding
- Short bursts better than long exposure
😷 Masking Guide — What Actually Works
| Mask Type | PM2.5 Filtration | Cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloth/Cotton | 10-30% | ₹20-50 | ❌ Useless for PM2.5 |
| Surgical mask | 30-50% | ₹5-10 | ⚠️ Better than nothing |
| N95 (no valve) | 95% | ₹50-150 | ✅ Recommended |
| N99 | 99% | ₹150-300 | ✅ Best protection |
| N95 with valve | 95% (inhale only) | ₹100-200 | ✅ Easier breathing |
Key: Look for BIS certification (IS 9473). "N95" without certification may be fake.
Proper Mask Usage
- Fit test: No gaps around nose/chin. Glasses fogging = bad seal.
- Replace: Every 3-5 days of regular use, or when breathing becomes difficult
- Kids: Need kid-sized N95. Adult masks don't seal properly.
- Beard: Facial hair breaks seal. Clean-shaven for best protection.
- Two-strap: Better seal than ear-loop style
- Don't touch: Avoid touching mask surface; contaminants transfer
🏫 For Schools — Admin & Parents
What Schools Should Do
- AQI-based schedule — No outdoor PT/games when AQI >200
- Indoor assembly — Shift morning assembly indoors during bad days
- Air purifiers — At minimum in nursery/KG classrooms
- Seal classrooms — Weather stripping on windows, door draft stoppers
- Green buffer — Plant trees on roadside boundary
- Bus route timing — Avoid peak traffic hours if possible
- Online option — Hybrid mode during severe pollution (AQI >400)
Reference: CPCB School Guidelines 2023
What Parents Can Demand (Legal Basis)
- CAQM Direction 2024: Schools must suspend outdoor activities when AQI >400
- Right to Education: Schools must provide safe environment
- NGT Orders: Multiple orders mandate AQI monitoring in schools
- Form a group: Parent WhatsApp group to coordinate pressure
- Write to DEO: District Education Officer can issue directives
- RTI: Ask school for air quality management plan
Template letter available in RTI tab
🏥 For Hospitals & Clinics
Clinical Preparedness
- Stock up: Nebulizers, bronchodilators, steroids for Nov-Dec surge
- Triage protocol: Respiratory distress fast-track during severe AQI days
- OPD extension: Consider extended hours during pollution season
- Staff protection: N95 for staff, especially in emergency
- Patient education: Printed handouts on home management
- Oxygen readiness: Check O2 supply and concentrator availability
Infrastructure
- HEPA in ICU/NICU: Critical care units need filtered air
- Positive pressure: OTs should have positive pressure ventilation
- Waiting area: Air purifiers in crowded OPD waiting areas
- Ambulance: Cabin air filters for patient transport
- AQI display: Real-time AQI in lobby for patient awareness
NABH accreditation includes air quality standards
🏘️ For RWAs & Housing Societies
Immediate Actions
- Ban leaf burning: Compost pit instead. Fine violators.
- No open waste burning: Report to MCD if staff burns
- DG set timing: Limit diesel generator use; switch to gas/solar
- Water sprinkling: Spray common areas 2x daily to suppress dust
- Construction rules: Mandate dust screens, water spraying at sites
- Carpooling: Incentivize shared transport
- EV charging: Install points to encourage electric vehicles
Legal Powers & Long-term
- MC Act: RWAs can frame bylaws on burning, DG use
- Green cover: Plant pollution-resistant trees (Neem, Peepal, Ashoka)
- Community AQI monitor: ₹8,000-15,000 shared investment
- Bulk mask purchase: Negotiate N95 bulk rates for residents
- Pollution emergency fund: For vulnerable families' purifiers
- Lobby MLA/Councillor: Collective voice for local road paving, tree planting
NGT Order 2018: RWAs responsible for preventing local burning
🌾 Rural vs 🏙️ Urban — Context-Specific Actions
🌾 Rural Areas
Main sources: Crop burning, biomass cooking, dust roads, brick kilns
- Stubble alternatives:
- Happy Seeder (₹1.5L, subsidy available)
- Sell to biomass plants (₹1000-1500/tonne)
- In-situ decomposition with PUSA bio-decomposer (free from govt)
- Cooking: LPG > biomass chulha. PM2.5 from chulha = smoking 400 cigarettes/day
- Brick kilns: Report illegal kilns to SPCB. Zigzag technology mandate.
- Road dust: Demand paving from Gram Panchayat. MGNREGA funds available.
- Timing: Avoid working in fields early morning (mist traps pollution)
Subsidy: Contact District Agriculture Officer for Happy Seeder
🏙️ Urban Areas
Main sources: Vehicles, construction, industry, road dust, waste burning
- Transport:
- Metro/public transport when possible
- Carpool apps (Quick Ride, etc.)
- WFH during severe pollution
- EV for next vehicle purchase
- Construction: Report sites without dust screens to MCD (toll-free 1800)
- Waste burning: Report via Sameer app or MCD helpline
- Location choice: Avoid living near highways, industrial areas if possible
- Indoor plants: More effective in sealed urban apartments
- Commute: Car windows up + AC on recirculate mode
App: "Sameer" for reporting pollution violations
📢 Beyond Your Home — Advocacy Actions
Report Violations
- Sameer App — CPCB app to report pollution sources
- Green Delhi App — For Delhi-specific complaints
- MCD Helpline — 1800-111-6397 for burning, construction dust
- DPCC — dpcc.delhigovt.nic.in for industrial violations
- Traffic Police — Report visibly polluting vehicles
Demand Action
- File RTI — Templates in RTI tab
- Write to MLA/MP — Elected representatives respond to volume
- Attend Ward meetings — Raise air quality in local forums
- Media tip — Share violations with journalists
- PIL support — Support existing public interest litigations
Community Building
- WhatsApp groups — Coordinate local clean air initiatives
- Tree plantation — Organize drives with RWA/school
- Awareness — Share AQI info with neighbors, domestic help
- Carpool network — Build local rideshare community
- Support vendors — Help street food sellers get LPG
📋 Quick Reference — Emergency Numbers & Apps
1800-111-6397
MCD Helpline (Delhi)
Sameer App
CPCB Complaint App
Green Delhi
Delhi Govt App
112
Emergency (Medical)
Tools & Utilities
Tools for researchers, journalists, developers, and citizens to access, embed, and analyze air quality data.
Embeddable Widget
Display live AQI on your website, blog, or app.
Data Export
Download current AQI data for research and analysis.
Includes: City, AQI, PM2.5, PM10, station, timestamp.
PM2.5 to AQI Converter
Convert raw PM2.5 (ug/m3) to India NAQI and US EPA AQI scales.
Research & Resources Library
Curated, verified open-access resources from peer-reviewed studies, government portals, and data sources.
Health Studies
Source Apportionment
⚖️ Environmental Justice, Household Air Pollution & Occupational Health
🔥 Household Air Pollution & Gender
👷 Occupational Exposure & Environmental Justice
Research gap: Most Indian air pollution mortality studies use city-level averages. We lack disaggregated data by income quintile, caste, occupation, and gender. This methodological gap itself perpetuates invisibility of the most affected communities.
Policy & Legal
Live Data Sources
About JanVayu जनवायु
JanVayu (Air Memory) is a citizen-led, open-source air quality archive for India. It exists because air pollution is not just an environmental issue — it is a public health emergency, an economic drain, and a failure of governance that demands transparency and accountability.
Why JanVayu Exists
The Problem: India has the world's worst air quality. Delhi regularly exceeds WHO safe limits by 20-40x. Over 2 million Indians die annually from air pollution — more than malaria, TB, and HIV combined. Yet public discourse remains fragmented, data is scattered, and accountability is absent.
The Gap: Official dashboards show data but don't translate it into health risks. Research papers exist but aren't accessible to citizens. Politicians make promises but no one tracks outcomes. RTI is powerful but intimidating for most citizens.
Our Response: JanVayu bridges these gaps by integrating live data, health science, economic analysis, and accountability tools into a single, accessible platform — designed for citizens, journalists, researchers, and advocates.
Our Principles
Open & Transparent
All code is open-source. All data sources are cited. All methodologies are documented. No hidden agendas.
Evidence-Based
We use peer-reviewed research (Lancet GBD, WHO, IHME) and established methodologies (GEMM, World Bank). No speculation.
Citizen-Centered
Designed for ordinary citizens, not just experts. Translates complex data into actionable insights and empowerment tools.
Accountability-Focused
We track political promises, grade policy effectiveness, and provide RTI templates because change requires pressure.
What Makes JanVayu Unique
JanVayu is not just an aggregator — it provides unique value through integration, analysis, and citizen empowerment tools not available elsewhere.
Health Impact Tools
- Personal Risk Calculator — GEMM-based mortality risk by age, exposure, conditions
- Safe Outdoor Hours — Activity-adjusted exposure limits
- Cigarette Equivalence — Berkeley Earth methodology
Economic Analysis
- Business Loss Calculator — World Bank methodology for productivity
- City-specific Estimates — Localized economic impact by AQI
- Sector Breakdown — Healthcare, agriculture, deaths cost
Accountability
- RTI Templates — Ready-to-file with addresses
- Promise Tracker — Political statements vs outcomes
- Policy Scorecard — Evidence-graded effectiveness
Live Data Integration
- 20+ City Ticker — Real-time WAQI data, auto-refreshes every 10 minutes
- Interactive Map — Click for PM2.5, station name, timestamp
- City Comparison — India vs international benchmarks (live)
- Data Export — JSON/CSV download for researchers
Citizen Empowerment
- Citizen Voices — Curated testimonies from affected communities
- Embeddable Widgets — For schools, NGOs, blogs
- Curated Resources — Verified open-access links only
- Dark Mode — Accessibility for all users
Data Sources & Methodology
| Component | Source | Update Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Live AQI Data | WAQI API (aqicn.org) | Every 10 minutes |
| Health Risk Model | GEMM (Lancet GBD 2019) | Static methodology |
| Economic Loss | World Bank / OECD | Annual estimates |
| Mortality Data | IHME / Lancet | Annual updates |
| Policy Tracker | CAQM, NGT, News | Manual curation |
| Citizen Voices | Social media, interviews | Manual curation |
Limitations & Disclaimers
Not Medical Advice: Health risk calculators provide estimates based on population-level research. Individual risk varies. Consult healthcare providers for personal medical decisions.
Data Accuracy: Live AQI depends on WAQI API and underlying monitoring station reliability. Some stations may have gaps or calibration issues.
Economic Estimates: Productivity loss calculations use simplified models. Actual business impact depends on many factors not captured here.
Open Source: This is a volunteer project. We welcome corrections, contributions, and feedback via GitHub.
Updates Log — Platform History
Chronological record of all updates, features, and improvements to JanVayu since inception. Transparency in development.
Current Version: v14.0 | Last Updated: January 18, 2026 |
janvayu.in |
GitHub
January 18, 2026 — v14.0 (Current) 🏛️ WORLD BANK STUDY + 📊 CLEAN AIR MISSION TRACKER
🏛️ World Bank "Breath of Change" Integration
- Featured Research Card — December 2025 World Bank report prominently featured on dashboard
- Key Statistics — 1 billion affected, 1 million deaths/year, 10% regional GDP loss in IGP-HF
- "Four I's" Framework — Information, Incentives, Institutions, Infrastructure integrated into Mission Tracker
- Economic Costs Updated — New authoritative GDP impact figure from World Bank
- Environmental Justice Validation — World Bank emphasis on protecting "children and vulnerable communities"
📊 Clean Air Mission Tracker — NEW
- Evidence-Based Grading — 5-level hierarchy from E1 (Announcement Only) to E5 (Evidence-Based Operational)
- NCAP Intervention Tracking — Transport, Industrial, Agricultural, Dust Control, Waste categories
- Delhi-NCR Focus — 12 interventions tracked with independent verification status
- Four I's Assessment — World Bank framework applied to each intervention
- Promise vs Reality — Gap analysis correlating announcements with outcomes
📚 Source & Methodology
The World Bank's "A Breath of Change: Solutions for Cleaner Air in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan Foothills" (December 2025) provides authoritative validation of JanVayu's citizen-led accountability approach. The report's emphasis on "accessible and reliable data for planning and accountability" directly aligns with JanVayu's mission. The Clean Air Mission Tracker implements independent verification methodology distinguishing this platform from government self-reporting systems.
January 17, 2026 — v13.0 🔬 SCIENTIFIC METRICS + ⚖️ ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
🎯 PM2.5-Primary Reporting
- PM2.5 as Primary Metric — Concentration (µg/m³) now prominently displayed with WHO guideline comparison
- "×n WHO guideline" format — Clear communication of health relevance (e.g., "19× WHO guideline")
- WHO 2021 color scale — New color coding aligned with WHO interim targets (IT-1 through IT-4)
- AQI contextualized — Retained as secondary metric with tooltip explaining limitations
- Why PM2.5 explainer — Educational content on why concentration matters more than composite indices
📊 Enhanced Health Methodology
- GEMM model transparency — Clear labeling that health calculations use PM2.5-based GEMM (not AQI)
- WHO 2021 guidelines — Updated to reflect new annual limit of 5 µg/m³ (halved from 10)
- Interim targets displayed — IT-1 (35), IT-2 (25), IT-3 (15), IT-4 (10), AQG (5)
- Mortality data updated — GBD 2021: 4.72M global deaths, 7.9% of adult natural deaths
⚖️ Environmental Justice — Addressing the Equity Gap
New comprehensive section on differential impacts by class, caste, gender, and occupation — addressing the critique that air pollution discourse centers on middle-class concerns while ignoring those who bear the greatest burden.
- Household Air Pollution (HAP) — 481,700 deaths/year from cooking smoke; 60% women; Ujjwala gap analysis
- Occupational Exposure — Street vendors, auto drivers, construction workers, waste pickers, brick kiln workers
- Spatial Injustice — Industrial proximity, highway adjacency, landfill exposure, monitor placement bias
- Caste & Class — Manual scavenging, sanitation workers, cremation workers, leather tanning, agricultural laborers
- Adaptation Inequality — Air purifiers, N95 masks, sealed homes, WFH as class privilege
- Policy Blind Spots — NCAP's ambient-only focus, GRAP's worker impact, monitoring gaps
- Voices from the Margins — New section with testimonies from domestic workers, sanitation workers, waste pickers, brick kiln workers, auto drivers
- Research Resources — New section on HAP, occupational health, environmental justice scholarship
📚 Scientific Rationale
This update addresses feedback that AQI-centric reporting can mask dangerous pollution levels. Key evidence: India's "satisfactory" AQI (50-100) allows PM2.5 up to 60 µg/m³ — 12× the WHO guideline. All major health impact models (GEMM, GBD MR-BRT, IER) are calibrated to PM2.5 concentration, not composite indices. The Lancet Planetary Health 2024 Delhi study found 7.2% of daily deaths attributable to PM2.5 exceeding WHO guidelines.
January 8, 2026 — v12.1 📱 UI OVERHAUL
📱 Mobile Responsiveness
- Mobile Navigation Menu — Slide-out menu with organized sections for easy navigation on phones
- Breadcrumb Navigation — Always know where you are with home → current section indicator
- Touch-Friendly — Larger tap targets, better spacing for mobile use
- Responsive Grids — Cards stack properly on smaller screens
- Hidden Desktop Elements — Ticker controls hidden on mobile for cleaner UI
🔤 Typography & Readability
- Base Font Increased — From 14px to 16px for better readability
- Larger Stat Values — Key numbers now 2.25rem (was 1.75rem)
- Better Line Height — Improved to 1.7 for comfortable reading
- Larger Tab Text — Navigation tabs easier to read and click
- Card Padding Increased — More breathing room for content
🎨 UI Polish
- Larger Logo — 40px mark (was 32px)
- Rounded Corners — Cards now 12px radius
- Better Tab Highlights — Active tabs have background highlight
- Section Intro Padding — More spacious headers
- Voices Tab Curated — Updated Jan 8, 2026
- GitHub Documentation — README, CONTRIBUTING, CODE_OF_CONDUCT updated
January 8, 2026 — v12 🎉 REBRAND
✅ Major Milestone: Rebrand to JanVayu
- New Name: JanVayu (जनवायु) — Community vote selected "People's Air" as new identity
- Custom Domain: www.janvayu.in — Professional .in domain for pan-Indian reach
- Updated Statistics — Lancet 2025 data: 1.7M deaths/year, 9.5% GDP loss
- New Research Added — Lancet Dec 2024 causal study, Lancet Countdown 2025, CREA NCAP report
- 2025 Delhi Data — Best air in 8 years: 79 good days, PM2.5 at 96 µg/m³
- New Accountability Items — Govt denial of deaths, NCAP 17% fund utilization RTI
🔄 Why the Rebrand
- "Vayu" issue: Technically means wind, not air
- "Smriti" issue: Unwanted associations with Manusmriti
- "JanVayu" solution: Sanskrit-origin, linguistically inclusive across all Indian languages
- Pan-Indian appeal: Cognates exist in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
- Updated all branding, meta tags, social sharing links
- Added Open Graph tags for better social media previews
December 30, 2024 — v11
✅ New Features
- Policy Recommendations Section — 6 evidence-based recommendations including 72-hour GRAP persistence rule
- International Success Stories — Beijing, London, Los Angeles, Surat case studies
- Vulnerable Groups Guide — Pregnancy, children, mental health, elderly, outdoor workers
- Court Orders Tracker — SC/NGT orders and compliance status
- Budget Tracker — NCAP fund utilization and state budgets
- Responsibility Matrix — Who's responsible for what (Delhi/Punjab/Centre)
- International Media Section — NYT, BBC, Washington Post coverage
- Updates Log Tab — This changelog you're reading
🔄 Improvements
- Expanded Voices section with corporate/healthcare/pregnancy perspectives
- Enhanced Trends timeline (12 key events from 2016-2024)
- "What COVID Lockdown Proved" section with data
- Accountability section now has 8 promises tracked
- Dashboard Latest Updates with live news snippets
- Fixed stat year displays
December 30, 2024 — v10
✅ New Features
- Actions Tab — Complete practical guide with Home GRAP, budget tiers, masking, schools, hospitals, RWAs
- Shareable Anchor Links — Direct links to any tab (e.g., #actions, #health)
- Share Buttons — WhatsApp, Email, Copy Link on all tabs
- Word/Markdown Export — Actions guide as downloadable documents
🔄 Fixes
- Live API working with real WAQI token
- Removed demo mode indicators
- Voices section redesigned with memes, Reddit, WhatsApp forwards
December 28, 2024 — v8/v9
✅ New Features
- Citizen Voices Tab — Curated testimonies from doctors, farmers, migrants, activists
- Comprehensive RTI Guide — Step-by-step with addresses, template, filing links
- Resources Library — 16 verified links with search functionality
- Tools Explanations — Detailed use cases for each tool
- 20+ City Ticker — Expanded from 9 cities
🔄 Improvements
- Dashboard restructured as summary/overview (not calculator)
- Ticker refresh button repositioned
- News feed with auto-updating headlines
December 28, 2024 — v6/v7
✅ Major Features
- Health Risk Calculator — GEMM-based mortality risk estimation
- Economic Impact Calculator — World Bank methodology
- Policy Effectiveness Tracker — Evidence-graded scorecard
- City Comparison Tool — India vs international benchmarks
- Interactive Map — Live markers with PM2.5 data
- Historical Trends — 2015-2025 Delhi PM2.5 chart
- Safe Hours Calculator — Activity-adjusted outdoor limits
- Data Export — JSON/CSV download
- Embeddable Widgets — For schools, NGOs, blogs
🔄 Design Updates
- Sargam Icons replacing all emojis
- Full mobile responsiveness
- Live WAQI API integration
- Auto-refresh every 10 minutes
- Compact 3-column layout
- Medical glossary with WHO guidelines
December 27, 2024 — v2/v3
- Repository restructured to 4-category system (from 11 folders)
- Complete README, CONTRIBUTING guide, governance files
- HTML archive page with multi-city charts
- 5-language support structure
- Searchable archive with real research links
- 2024→2025 date corrections throughout
- Recent policy/legal events added to tracker
December 25, 2024
- Responsive design fixes for mobile
- Chart display issues resolved
- Expanded concept note with prose and diagrams
- Communications planning for webinars
December 17, 2024 — Project Inception
- Project conceived as "India Air Memory" knowledge repository
- Strategic proposal document created
- 150+ data sources mapped across 10 categories
- First HTML prototype with MMSF brand colors
- Humor/satire/Gen Z content category integrated
- Named "Vayu Smriti" (वायु स्मृति) — later rebranded to JanVayu in Jan 2026
- GitHub repository created: github.com/Varnasr/JanVayu
- Live deployment on Netlify
- OpenAQ API integration for real-time data
Roadmap — Planned Features
Q1 2025
- Multi-language support (Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali)
- Mobile app (PWA)
- Push notifications for AQI alerts
- School curriculum integration kit
Q2 2025
- Crowdsourced citizen reports
- Hyperlocal monitoring integration
- Real-time source apportionment
- API for third-party developers
Long-term
- Delhi Climate Week 2026 integration
- Pan-India city coverage (50+ cities)
- Predictive AQI forecasting
- Policy impact simulator
Contribute: Found a bug? Have a suggestion? Want to add a feature?
Open an issue on GitHub or
email us.