Nashik: Even as Nashik continues to be projected as a rapidly developing Smart City ahead of the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, a global study published in the prestigious journal Nature Cities has raised serious environmental concerns. The study has placed Nashik among the top cities in the “More Polluted and More Prosperous” category, linking the city’s economic growth with rising pollution levels.
The study analysed 5,435 cities across the world with populations above one lakh between 2019 and 2024. Researchers used satellite imagery to track Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) levels and compared them with economic growth indicators such as GDP. Based on the findings, cities were divided into four categories, with Nashik falling into the “More Polluted and More Prosperous” group.
According to the report, 390 cities globally fall into this category, of which 35.4 per cent are from India. Out of the 902 Indian cities studied, around 15.3 per cent recorded a sharp rise in NO₂ pollution levels.
The study observed that Nashik’s increasing pollution is closely connected with rapid urban and economic growth. Researchers identified vehicle-based transport, industrial activity, unplanned urban expansion and electricity generation dependent on fossil fuels as the main reasons behind the rising pollution levels. The report also pointed to increasing deforestation and shrinking green cover in and around Nashik as a major factor contributing to higher NO₂ emissions.
The findings have become particularly significant as Nashik prepares for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2027. Environmentalists have expressed concern that worsening pollution levels could affect the health of lakhs of devotees expected to visit the city during the religious gathering.
The study has also drawn comparisons with several Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, which have reportedly managed to reduce NO₂ pollution while continuing economic growth through stricter industrial regulations, electrification of public transport and shifting polluting industries away from urban areas.
Following the report, demands are growing for the Nashik Municipal Corporation and district administration to take immediate policy measures regarding transport planning, industrial regulation and protection of forest areas to prevent further environmental deterioration.
