Greta Jimenez
Varanasi, a city in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, has been described as the most toxic in the country, with high levels of air pollution. In 2015, Varanasi did not record a single day of good air quality in over 220 days of measurements. The city's pollution is caused by a mix of dust from traffic and construction, vehicular and industrial emissions, smoke from diesel generators, and open fires. Varanasi is also home to many crematoriums located by the Ganges River, exposing workers and nearby residents to toxic chemicals and particulate matter. The river itself is one of the world's most polluted, with high levels of faecal coliform and untreated sewage. While there are efforts to improve air quality, such as the National Clean Air Programme 2019, data collection gaps and inaccurate monitoring have led to conflicting reports on the current state of Varanasi's air pollution levels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population | 1.69 million |
| Tourism | High |
| Industry | Metals, textiles, printing, electronics |
| PM2.5 readings | 297 μg/m³ (2021) |
| PM2.5 safe limit | 150 μg/m³ |
| PM2.5 readings (2015) | Double the safe limit |
| PM10 readings (2016) | Triple the safe limit |
| Air quality | "Most toxic in India" (2015) |
| Air quality (Jan 2024) | "Good" |
| AQI (2025) | 55-74 (Moderate) |
| AQI (2017) | Higher than Delhi's |
| AQI (2019-2023) | 72% decrease |
| Health issues | Coughs, chest and throat infections, asthma, skin rashes, mucous membrane irritation, cancer, bronchitis, emphysema, damage to blood vessels, lungs, kidneys, liver, reproductive system |
| Vulnerable groups | Crematorium workers, young children, elderly, sick, immunocompromised, pregnant mothers |
| River Ganges pollution | Faecal coliform levels 3-12 times higher than permissible |
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What You'll Learn
- Air pollution sources: traffic, construction, industrial emissions, crematoriums
- Health issues: respiratory conditions, cancer, damage to organs
- Ganges river pollution: waterborne diseases, high faecal coliform levels
- Air quality measurements: PM2.5 readings, AQI, hazardous ratings
- Pollution reduction measures: electric buses, road cleaning, smog guns
Air pollution sources: traffic, construction, industrial emissions, crematoriums
Varanasi, a city in India, has a thriving tourism industry and is famous for its handcrafted goods, including muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculptures. The city is also known for its metal, textile, printing, and electronic manufacturing plants. As a result of these various industries and the mass movement of people, there is a significant amount of air pollution in Varanasi.
One source of air pollution in Varanasi is traffic and transportation. The movement of people, whether local or tourists, contributes to emissions from road, rail, aviation, and shipping. Roads, highways, and motorways in Varanasi are often covered in thick layers of road dust and black carbon, which contribute to the city's air pollution.
Construction activities also play a role in Varanasi's air pollution. Dust emissions from road re-suspension and construction projects can stir up dust and release pollutants into the air, adding to the overall air pollution levels in the city.
Industrial emissions are another significant contributor to Varanasi's air pollution. The city is home to numerous small, medium, and heavy industries, including power generation plants and manufacturing plants for metals, textiles, printing, and electronics. These industrial activities release pollutants into the atmosphere, including combustion emissions from coal or other fuels used for energy.
Lastly, crematoriums, or Ghats, located along the river Ganges, also contribute to air pollution in Varanasi. The large-scale burning of wooden pyres and bodies during cremation releases smoke, haze, and fumes, exposing workers and nearby residents to toxic chemicals and particulate matter.
The combination of these sources of air pollution has led to severe pollution levels in Varanasi, with PM2.5 readings reaching as high as 297 μg/m³ in early 2021, which is considered a "hazardous" rating. These high pollution levels have significant negative impacts on the health of the population, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
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Health issues: respiratory conditions, cancer, damage to organs
The air quality in Varanasi has been described as "the most toxic in the country" and is considered severely polluted. The city's air pollution has been attributed to various factors, including industrial emissions, vehicular emissions, dust, smoke from private diesel generators, and open fires. The city's location in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, a region with a shared flow of air, further contributes to the air pollution issue.
The severe air pollution in Varanasi has been linked to a range of negative health consequences for its residents. Short-term health issues include severe coughs, chest and throat infections, exacerbation of pre-existing conditions like asthma, skin rashes, and irritation to the mucous membranes in the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
More concerning are the long-term health implications, which include an increased risk of cancer, particularly among vulnerable populations and those living or working in highly polluted areas. The fine particulate matter in the air can penetrate deep into lung tissue and enter the bloodstream, causing respiratory conditions such as bronchitis or emphysema and damage to vital organs, including the blood vessels, lungs, kidneys, liver, and even the reproductive system.
Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, and child specialists in Varanasi have reported an eight-fold rise in respiratory illnesses, with degrading air quality identified as the primary cause. Excessive pollution exposure during childhood can lead to lifelong ailments such as allergies, impaired lung function, stunted growth, and potential impacts on mental development.
The elderly, sick, immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant mothers are also at higher risk of health issues due to exposure to polluted air. Overall, the severe air pollution in Varanasi poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of its residents, particularly those belonging to vulnerable groups.
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Ganges river pollution: waterborne diseases, high faecal coliform levels
The Ganges River, India's largest river and a vital water source for an estimated 500 million people, is severely polluted. The river's pollution poses significant threats to both human health and the environment. The primary sources of this pollution are the disposal of untreated human sewage and animal waste from numerous cities and towns along its banks, with a large proportion of sewage remaining untreated before discharge. Traditional religious practices, such as ritual bathing, leaving offerings, and depositing cremated or half-burnt bodies, further contribute to the pollution.
The consequences of this pollution are profound and far-reaching. The river water has been linked to severe health risks from waterborne diseases, including cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid, and severe diarrhoea, which remains a leading cause of death among children in India. The presence of harmful pathogens, such as viruses, parasites, and other disease-causing bacteria, poses a serious risk to those who come into contact with the water. In addition, the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in food sources like fish and vegetables poses ecological dangers, including the rapid decline and local extinction of native fish species and threats to endangered species like the Ganges river dolphin and softshell turtle.
The impact of the Ganges River pollution extends beyond the immediate health risks, affecting the cultural and religious practices of vulnerable communities dependent on the river. The contamination makes the river unsafe for essential household activities such as bathing, laundry, and cleaning utensils, forcing these communities to seek costly or unavailable alternatives. The decline in river health also impacts related economic activities like ferry transport and tourism, limiting diverse income streams and reducing economic opportunities for those reliant on the river.
The issue of Ganges River pollution is a complex one, with social, cultural, and economic dimensions intertwined with the environmental and health consequences. It requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the various factors contributing to the pollution while also considering the needs and well-being of the vulnerable communities dependent on the river.
Recent reports indicate that faecal coliform levels in the Ganges River have surged, reaching 11,000 units per 100 millilitres near Shastri Bridge and 7,900 units per 100 millilitres at Sangam, far exceeding the safe limit of 2,500 units per 100 millilitres. These high levels of faecal coliform bacteria are a warning sign of possible contamination and pose a serious health risk to the millions of people who gather for religious rituals and ritual dips in the river during the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of Hinduism's holiest festivals.
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Air quality measurements: PM2.5 readings, AQI, hazardous ratings
Varanasi, a city in India with a population of around 1.69 million, has a thriving tourism industry and a significant number of manufacturing plants. These anthropogenic and industrial activities contribute to the city's air pollution. The city's many crematoriums, or Ghats, located along the river Ganges, release large amounts of smoke and fumes from the burning of wooden pyres and bodies. This results in extremely high PM2.5 readings, contributing to the overall Air Quality Index (AQI).
In early 2021, Varanasi recorded PM2.5 readings as high as 297 μg/m³, a level rarely seen in cities worldwide and indicative of severe pollution. These readings placed Varanasi in the ''hazardous' ratings bracket, which requires PM2.5 levels of 250.4 μg/m³ or higher. Even on less polluted days, the city still experiences lows of 102.2 μg/m³, which is significantly higher than the worst pollution readings in many other cities globally.
The hazardous levels of air pollution in Varanasi have been linked to various negative health issues for its residents. Short-term health problems include severe coughs, chest and throat infections, exacerbation of asthma, skin rashes, and irritation to the mucous membranes in the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Long-term exposure to polluted air increases the risk of developing chronic conditions such as cancer, respiratory diseases, and damage to vital organs like the lungs, kidneys, and liver.
Varanasi's large number of crematoriums also poses a risk to the workers involved in cremation and those living nearby. In addition, certain groups are more vulnerable to the health impacts of air pollution, including young children, who can suffer from impaired lung function, stunted growth, and mental development issues, as well as the elderly, the sick, immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant mothers.
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Pollution reduction measures: electric buses, road cleaning, smog guns
Varanasi, a city in India with a population of around 1.69 million, has a severe air pollution problem. The city's thriving tourism and manufacturing industries, as well as its many crematoriums located along the River Ganges, contribute to high levels of air pollution. The health consequences of this pollution are significant, ranging from short-term issues like severe coughs and throat infections to long-term problems like increased cancer rates and respiratory conditions.
To combat this issue, the city has implemented several pollution reduction measures. One such measure is the introduction of electric buses, which visitors can use to explore the city in a sustainable manner with a Kashi Pass. This initiative aims to reduce air pollution by providing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fuel-powered buses, which typically emit harmful pollutants into the air.
Another measure employed by the city is the use of road cleaning methods. While specific details on the road cleaning initiatives in Varanasi are scarce, the concept of road cleaning as a pollution reduction strategy is widely recognized. This typically involves sweeping and washing roads to remove dust, debris, and accumulated pollutants, thereby preventing them from contributing to air pollution.
Additionally, Varanasi has likely benefited from India's growing adoption of smog guns, also known as anti-smog guns (ASGs). ASGs are devices that spew fine nebulized water droplets into the atmosphere, binding with dust and polluted particles (including PM2.5 and PM10) and bringing them down to the ground. This technology helps curb the dispersion of dust and pollutants in the air, creating a canopy effect similar to rain. While there is debate about their efficacy in open urban areas, ASGs have been installed at key locations across India, and their use has been expanding since their initial trial in 2017.
Through the implementation of these pollution reduction measures, including the introduction of electric buses, road cleaning, and the utilization of smog guns, Varanasi is actively working towards improving its air quality and mitigating the health risks associated with severe air pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
Very. In 2015, Varanasi was declared the most toxic city in India, with levels of airborne pollution double the safe limit. In 2021, PM2.5 readings were as high as 297 μg/m³, a rarely seen number worldwide.
The main cause of air pollution in Varanasi is a mix of dust from traffic and construction sites, vehicular and industrial emissions, smoke from private diesel generators, and open fires.
Air pollution in Varanasi has been linked to a range of health issues, including severe coughs, chest and throat infections, asthma, skin rashes, irritation to the mucous membranes, respiratory conditions, and an increased risk of cancer.
The Ganges River is considered one of the most polluted rivers in the world. It has high levels of faecal coliform and untreated sewage, and is linked to waterborne diseases that kill thousands annually.
The Varanasi Air Pollution Action Plan includes measures such as using electric buses, cleaning dust off roads, and using smog guns. However, there are concerns about data collection gaps and inaccurate monitoring, which may hinder the effectiveness of these initiatives.
