Urban air pollution is emerging as a serious problem in India. Polluted urban air has exposed people to serious health risks. A wide range of transport, commercial, industrial and domestic activities are the main sources of harmful airborne chemicals and gases in Delhi. Vehicle contribute to an astounding 70 per cent of all air pollutants.

A World Bank study calculated, based on 1994-95 air quality data, that about 10,000 people die prematurely due to air pollution every year in Delhi alone. More studies have brought to light that children are very vulnerable to air pollution-related diseases. According to the Delhi Medical Association, the incidence of asthma is 10 times the all-India average. Six out of every 10 schoolchildren in Delhi suffer from respiratory ailments.

The CSE laboratory monitors the ambient air in Tughlakabad, designated as a 'sensitive area'.