January 22, 2026

Although Delhi is no longer the most polluted city in the world according to the latest list of WHO, there are 4 Indian cities- Gwalior (2), Allahabad (3), Patna (6) and Raipur (7) – which have the dubious distinction of being in the top ten.

This is highly disconcerting as despite pumping in crores in the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, the situation seems to have worsened. Our Tier II cities and towns are groaning under inadequate and overburdened infrastructure and civic mismanagement.

Our pollution laws are inadequate and not enforced strictly. Subsidized diesel and resistance to converting to cleaner fuel is turning our cities into cradles of lungs debilitating diseases.

Other than this, lack of civic sense in citizens, unscientific and lax waste management and giving a free rein to agencies doing urban development work and real estate developers is adding to the problem.

If the government does not tackle the situation with a firm hand, it might go completely out of hand. We owe it to our future generations to make urban spaces livable. Otherwise an unhealthy people will make for a retarded nation, where growth will be at a snail’s pace. No amount of funding of public healthcare will work if cities remain breeding grounds of pollution related diseases.