Foreword

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) has established a National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (NAMP) network, comprising 295 stations in various cities/towns of 28 States and 4 Union Territories of the country. The network has been established under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to collect, compile and disseminate information on air quality.

The ambient air quality is monitored by CPCB, SPCBs, Pollution Control Committees, some Universities and Institutes. The data, thus generated, gets transmitted to CPCB for scrutiny, analysis, compilation and publication as a consolidated report.

This report contains ambient air quality data for the year 2004. Air pollution status of various pollutants has been defined in terms of Low, Moderate, High and Critical, vis-a - vis the notified ambient air standards and has been depicted in the form of tables and figures. Air quality trends in sixteen polluted cities identified by Honourable Supreme Court have been included and data on additional pollutants such as ammonia has also been included in the report. The co-operation of the monitoring agencies is gratefully acknowledged.