Assessing the impact of regulations on ambient air and health in Delhi

In recent years, several actions have been taken to address the growing air pollution problem in the Indian cities. Though these actions have reduced the concentration of certain pollutants, namely lead and sulphur dioxide, the trend in the main criteria pollutant – particulate matter – is not clear. Most importantly, decision-makers often lack scientific evidence. In order to assess the improvement in air quality and design a suitable epidemiological study to assess the health impacts, the following will be addressed: have measures brought reduction in the pollutant level and what is their impact on health; which constituents of the pollutant mix have been reduced; and what is the current knowledge/evidence on the extent of the impact on air quality on various health outcomes among the different population sub-groups.