Story by Raksha Bhattacharjee
fifth place in 2024. According to a new air quality assessment released on Tuesday, India’s air quality is in terrible shape, with 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities situated inside its borders.
Delhi is the most polluted city in the world
The 2024 World Air Delhi is the most polluted city in the world, and India fell from third place in 2023 to Quality Report from the Swiss air quality technology company IQAir states that Byrnihat, Assam, is the most polluted city on the planet. Delhi is the most polluted city in the world, and India fell from third place in 2023 to fifth place in 2024.
According to the study, the average PM2.5 concentration in the country dropped by 7% in 2024 to 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter, compared to 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. Six of the ten most polluted cities in the world are still in India, despite all of those improvements.
The level of pollution in the city is consistently high
Almost constant from 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, Delhi’s average annual PM2.5 concentration was 91.6 micrograms per cubic meter. The level of pollution in the city is consistently high.
These 13 Indian cities—Byrnihat, Assam; Delhi; Mullanpur, Punjab; Faridabad; Loni; New Delhi; Gurugram; Ganganagar; Greater Noida; Bhiwadi; Muzaffarnagar; Hanumangarh; and Noida—are among the top 20 most polluted in the world. In terms of pollution, India ranks fifth, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Chad.
Overall, 35% of Indian cities had annual PM2.5 levels that were more than ten times the WHO standard of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. According to estimates, air pollution in India reduces life expectancy by 5.2 years, making it a serious health risk.
India’s risks of air pollution
According to a study published last year in the Lancet Planetary Health journal, there may have been approximately 1.5 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 as a result of prolonged exposure to PM2.5 pollution.
Air pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns
Air pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns, known as PM2.5, can enter the bloodstream and lungs and cause cancer, heart disease, and breathing difficulties. Some of the sources of PM2.5 include industrial pollutants, vehicle exhaust, and burning wood or agricultural waste. India has made progress in collecting data on air quality, but not enough, according to Soumya Swaminathan, a former WHO top scientist and counselor to the health ministry.
We need to act now that we have the evidence. Some solutions, like replacing biomass with LPG, are straightforward. India has a strategy for this already, but more cylinders need to be funded. The poorest families, especially those led by women, should get additional subsidies even though the first cylinder is free. “This will improve their health and reduce outdoor air pollution,” she told PTI in an interview.
In metropolitan areas, Swaminathan promoted the expansion of public transit and the charging of fees for particular types of automobiles. Rewards and sanctions must be used in tandem, she argues. Last but not least, rigorous enforcement of emission regulations is essential. The former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research said, “Instead of taking shortcuts, construction sites and industries need to install equipment to reduce emissions and comply with regulations.”
