Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre said a meeting will soon be convened with MLAs representing all 28 assembly constituencies in Bengaluru to discuss pollution-related issues.
Mr Khandre, who met Suresh Kumar, MLA for Rajajinagar, on Thursday said a meeting would be held soon to ensure that Bengaluru does not turn into “another gas chamber like Delhi”.
According to Daily Air Quality Index (AQI) data for January 2026, Hebbal, Jayanagar, Mysore Road, NIMHANS, Central Silk Board, Jigani Industrial Area, RV College of Engineering and Peenya Industrial Area crossed the 100 AQI mark in January. There are all 11 stations in Bengaluru.
Classification
An AQI in the range of 0-50 is considered good with minimal impact on health. An AQI value in the range of 51 to 100 is considered satisfactory and possible health effects are minor respiratory problems for sensitive individuals.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered moderate, and possible health effects are breathing problems in people with asthma and heart disease.
An AQI in the range of 301-400 is considered very bad and the health effects are respiratory disease with long-term exposure. An AQI ranging from 401 to 500 is considered severe, with health effects affecting healthy people and severely affecting those with pre-existing conditions.
The minister said that after meeting with Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar, a meeting will soon be convened under his chairmanship with all elected representatives of Bengaluru and senior officials of urban local bodies.
The Minister said that air, water and noise pollution are increasing in Bengaluru and their control requires the cooperation of all members of the public.
Mr. Suresh Kumar highlighted the problem of dust pollution and deteriorating air quality in Bengaluru, which has led to an increase in respiratory problems among children.
In response, Mr. Khandre said that air quality is already being monitored at 11 fixed locations and through 13 mobile units across Bengaluru.
It directed officials to issue notices to local authorities concerned if the air quality index (AQI) crosses 100 and directed them to control the pollution within a specified time frame and that action would be taken as per law.
Plastic use
The minister said single-use plastic waste has become a menace in Bengaluru and directed officials to form awareness groups in coordination with local bodies and other departments to deal with the issue.
He directed the environment department to conduct a detailed review and submit a report within a month on the total number of waste treatment plants in Bengaluru and across the state, how many are operational, their installed capacity, the current volume (in MLD) of liquid waste being processed and the amount of untreated water entering the water bodies.
Published – 26 Feb 2026 23:07 IST
