Bengaluru is dealing with worsening air pollution, more than people are aware of. The Karnataka government has acknowledged the severity of it, warning that without urgent interventions, the city could face severe pollution levels similar to Delhi’s.
Bengaluru’s famously pleasant weather is no longer enough to mask a growing crisis in the air its residents breathe. After weeks of mounting public concern and reminders from environmental experts, the Karnataka government has finally stepped in, warning that the city could be heading down the same dangerous path as Delhi if immediate, structural interventions are not made.
From dust-choked roads to a rise in vehicular numbers, Bengaluru’s worsening air pollution is now being recognised as both a health emergency and a governance challenge, one that needs urgent, coordinated action.
For weeks, an independent analysis by content creator Unboxing Bengaluru has been circulating widely, revealing the scale of the crisis. “I’ve been studying Bengaluru’s air for a month, and it’s more polluted than we think,” the presenter warns in the video, adding that the city’s average PM2.5 levels remain around 40, which is officially classified as moderate, but far from healthy.
“Moderate air pollution isn’t acceptable. Studies show that prolonged exposure is making us stupid,” he says, pointing out that while the WHO recommends PM2.5 under 5, Indian safety limits classify anything under 40 as acceptable. Bengaluru has touched 200 several times this year – a level that “in Europe or Japan… would be considered a severe health risk. They would declare an emergency and tell people not to go out.”
Amid growing alarm, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has directed the Chief Secretary to constitute an expert committee to recommend immediate interventions. The move follows a letter from MLC Dinesh Gooligowda, who warned that Bengaluru could soon “face a situation similar to Delhi” without urgent action.
https://www.timesnownews.com/bengaluru/bengaluru-is-more-polluted-than-we-think-shows-35-year-data-trend-whats-causing-it-and-how-to-fix-it-article-153280367