In India, outdoor air pollution is restricted mostly to urban areas, where
automobiles are the major contributors, and to a few other areas with a concentration of
industries and thermal power plants. Apart from rapid industrialization, urbanization has
resulted in the emergence of industrial centers without a corresponding growth in civic
amenities and pollution control mechanisms. In most of the 23 Indian cities with a
million-plus population, air pollution levels exceed World Health Organization’s (WHO)
recommended health standards. In every city, the levels are getting worse because of
rapid industrialization, growing number of vehicles, energy consumption, and burning of
wastes. Several cities face severe air pollution problems, with annual average levels of
total suspended particulates (TSP) at least three times as high as the WHO standards. A
study conducted by the World Bank indicates premature deaths of people in Delhi owing
to high levels of air pollution.