Investigating the relationship between air pollution, population, and landuse patterns in the city of Kolkata

The two miles thick pollution blanket lying over the entire Indian subcontinent, often referred to as the "Asian Brown Haze", is responsible for thousands of deaths per year from respiratory diseases. Fossil fuel combustion in vehicles, industries, and power stations are the major contributors to this dense blanket of pollution over South Asia. This research investigates the spatial distribution and neighborhood inequalities of this problem of widespread environmental pollution, particularly the association between air pollution and population and again air pollution and land use patterns in the city of Calcutta, India.; Increase in urban population in recent years has lead to more industrialization, which in turn has led to environmental pollution in the urban area.{09}Also, the lack of urban planning in the location of industrial and commercial clusters within the city causes environmental pollution. This research suggests an improved method to estimate ward-wise vehicular pollution. This model is particularly effective for estimating vehicular pollution in areas where there is limited amount of data on vehicle flow patterns. This research also estimates ward-wise industrial pollution.{09}By combining the demographic characteristics of population in the different wards with a socio-economic index---a proxy measure for the standard of living, with estimates of vehicular and industrial pollution, it was possible to perform an environmental equity analysis. Also by calculating the percentage landuse categories in each ward, it was possible to estimate whether industrial clusters were more polluted than commercial areas.; In conclusion, this research finds that commercial areas in the city are more polluted from vehicles whereas transport and storage areas in Calcutta are more polluted from industries. Although the disadvantaged and vulnerable populations of Calcutta do not bear the maximum burden of vehicular pollution, slum dwellers at Calcutta do experience greater exposure from industrial sources. Exposure to higher levels of industrial pollution by slum dwellers raises questions related to the causal nature of the relationship between industrial pollution and slum population, and opens up an important debate related to environmental equity concerns in the city of Calcutta.