Air pollution in India is quite a serious issue with the major sources being fuelwood and biomass burning, fuel adulteration, vehicle emission and traffic congestion.[1] In autumn and winter months, large scale crop residue burning in agriculture fields – a low cost alternative to mechanical tilling – is a major source of smoke, smog and particulate pollution.[2][3][4] India has a low per capita emissions of greenhouse gases but the country as a whole is the third largest after China and the United States.[5] A 2013 study on non-smokers has found that Indians have 30% lower lung function compared to Europeans.[6]

Most Indian cities greatly exceed acceptable levels of suspended particulate matter. ... Of the four majorIndian cities, air pollution was consistently worse in Delhi, every year over 5-year period (2004–2008). Kolkata was a close second, followed by Mumbai. Chennai air pollution was least of the four.