Tazrin JakariaIndia’s environment figures 2025 presents a sobering reality. According to the latest report titled “State of India’s Environment 2025 in Figures”, published by Down To Earth magazine and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the country’s states and Union Territories are underperforming across critical environmental benchmarks. Despite increasing awareness and investments, no state managed to cross the 70-point threshold, with even the top-performing state, Andhra Pradesh, scoring only 68.38 out of 100.
This comprehensive annual report evaluates the performance of states across key development themes. It provides a numerical representation of India’s progress—or lack thereof—on sustainability, environmental health, and public infrastructure.
Rankings That Reflect Reality
The State of States rankings are based on four key themes:
- Environment
- Agriculture and Land
- Public Health
- Human Development and Infrastructure
Each of these is broken down into four sub-categories, and the environment theme specifically covers:
- Forest and Biodiversity
- Climate
- Waste Management
- Water Quality
Despite some marginal improvements, most Indian states continue to perform poorly in environmental indicators, particularly in sewage treatment and river pollution control.
A National Sewage Crisis
Sewage treatment emerged as one of the most concerning indicators in the report. Even Andhra Pradesh, ranked highest overall, fell drastically in this area. It ranks 18th out of 36 states and Union Territories for sewage management, treating less than 11% of its daily sewage output.
This is not an isolated issue. Sewage infrastructure across India remains deeply inadequate, resulting in untreated waste flowing into rivers, contaminating drinking water, and threatening aquatic ecosystems.
The failure to expand or modernize sewage treatment facilities has turned into a nationwide crisis. The environmental cost of this inefficiency is profound, as it leads to degraded river health and worsened public health outcomes.
River Pollution: A Persisting Threat
India’s rivers, lifelines for millions, continue to suffer. While Andhra Pradesh has reduced the number of polluted river stretches from five in 2018 to three in 2022, the condition of rivers like Vasishta remains dire. The Vasishta river was found to have a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 58 mg/L, far above the safe threshold of 3 mg/L. BOD is a key indicator of organic pollution in water.
Across the country, 27 states and Union Territories scored below 50 in the water quality index. This signals a widespread failure to implement effective policies or technologies to prevent industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and sewage contamination in water bodies.
What the Rankings Reveal About India’s Environment Figures 2025
The “State of India’s Environment 2025 in Figures” report highlights that incremental reforms are not enough. While Andhra Pradesh stands out for reducing river pollution and performing moderately better on some environmental fronts, its low score in sewage management demonstrates that no state has achieved holistic progress.
The report urges urgent action at both central and state levels:
- Investment in wastewater treatment infrastructure
- Real-time water quality monitoring systems
- Strict pollution control enforcement
- Community participation in river conservation projects
Looking Forward: Policy and Public Engagement Needed
India’s environmental future hinges on stronger policy implementation, sustainable urban planning, and robust infrastructure investments. Public participation and awareness are also critical to building long-term resilience.
The report should be seen as a call to action. Environmental health is closely linked to economic and human development. Addressing these issues will not only improve quality of life but also strengthen India’s resilience to climate change.
Conclusion: Numbers That Shouldn’t Be Ignored
The State of India’s Environment 2025 in Figures is more than a statistical summary—it’s a mirror reflecting the environmental neglect and policy gaps at multiple governance levels. The fact that no state crossed even 70 points despite years of schemes, plans, and discussions is a clear signal that India needs to treat its environment as a national priority.
Without significant and coordinated efforts, these figures could worsen in the years to come. It is now imperative for both policymakers and citizens to take the findings of this report seriously—and act before the numbers become irreversible.
Neha Baruah
Tazrin Jakaria
Pinki Borah