Journal of Environment and Earth Science www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3216 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0948 (Online) Vol.5, No.8, 2015 77 Trends and Management of Air Pollution: Assessment of Major Cities in India Smita Sharma 1 Shipra Sharma 2 Shweta Sharma 3 1.Research Scholar,Dept. Of Business Administration, University of Rajasthan 2.Asst. Prof., Dept. of Environmental Science, S.S.Jain Subodh P.G. College 3.Asst. Prof. ,Dept. of Environmental Science, IITM, Greater Noida Abstract Air pollution has emerged as one of the leading risk factors contributing to national burden of disease in India. This study examined the trends of air pollution in India over the period from 1995-2008. The analysis revealed a wide variation in the time series of annual measurements of SO x , NO x , SPM and RSPM at various cities in India. The mean of Annual average concentration of sulphur di oxide was found to be higher for Bangalore and Kolkata(19.5, 19.7µg/m 3 ).The oxides of nitrogen were found to be higher for Kolkata and Delhi(48.80µg/m 3 ,40.86µg/m 3 ).The levels of RSPM was found to be significantly higher for Ahmadabad ,Delhi and Kolkata(165,163,126µg/m 3 ).Similarly the levels of SPM was found to be higher for Delhi and Kolkata(385, 301µg/m 3 ). The other important point in SO 2 levels is decreasing at all cities, which is largely attributed to sulphur reduction in diesel. The variation in annual average concentrations during different years may be due to multiple factors including meteorology, neighbourhood activity pattern or levels during monitoring period etc. Keywords: national burden, RSPM, air quality standard, sulphur reduction.average concentration Introduction The trends of air pollution have undergone significant changes in India within the last few years. Air pollution is one of the leading risk factors contributing to national burden of disease in India(World Health Organisation, 2002).Several recent time series studies conducted world- wide have found relatively low levels of air pollutants that are below national standards were associated with adverse effects on mortality and morbidity(Dockery; American Thoracic Society; Petroeschevsky A;Gouveia; Wong, T.W.;Galan, I.,; Chew).Children’s and infants are among the most vulnerable for several reasons. They spend a substantial amount of time outdoors which increases exposure to ambient air pollutants. Levels of ambient air pollution uniformly exceed the recently revised WHO air quality guideline (AQG) levels (WHO, 2006) across most cities in India, with almost 80 non attainment cities and towns and 24 critically polluted hotspots identified by the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB), Government of India(CPCB, 2009).An estimated 120,600 deaths are attributed to outdoor air pollution each year in India(WHO, 2002). Methodology Ambient air quality is being monitored under National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP), coordinated by Central Air Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in over 215 cities/towns including the six project cities. It covers 520 operating stations spread over 26 states and 5 Union Territories. The table below shows the number of sanctioned and operating air quality monitoring stations till 31 st March, 2012.Secondary data was collected through the website and various publications of CPCB and the Ministry of Environment and Forest.