According to a recent UNEP report58, in most of the
Indian cities the mean of average values of SPM for nine
years (1990–98) ranged between 99 and 390 mg/m3
in
residential areas and between 123 and 457 mg/m3
in industrial
areas, exceeding the annual average limit of SPM
for residential areas 140 mg/m3
and for industrial areas
360 mg/m3
. Other reports on particulate levels are given
in Table 2.