indian metros are fast turning into virtual gas chambers as pollution levels have reached unmanageable proportions. Delhi, Calcutta and Mumbai rank fourth, sixth and 13th respectively among the 41 most polluted cities in the world.

This is one of the findings reported in a document, Global Pollution and Health, prepared by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. Insofar as sulphur dioxide levels are concerned, Mumbai comes 18th, Delhi 27th and Calcutta, 37th.

The government on its part has blamed the pollution on the lack of adequate resources to tackle it. According to experts, the rise in air and water pollution in big cities is due to emissions from an increasing number of vehicles on Indian roads, and the lack of funds to install effluent treatment plants (etps) for dealing with liquid wastes.

A scheme is on the anvil for providing financial assistance for the construction of common etps for clusters of small-scale industries. The report has warned that the government will have to spend an enormous amount in the health sector, if corrective measures are not taken immediately.