India Tops Global Pollution Charts: 13 of the World’s 20 Most Polluted Cities Are in India, Byrnihat in Assam Ranked Worst

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New Delhi: A new air quality report has delivered stark findings for India, revealing that 13 out of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in the country. The World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir has named Byrnihat in Assam as the most polluted city in the world, while Delhi retains its position as the most polluted capital city globally.

India ranked fifth in the list of the world’s most polluted countries in 2024, slipping from third place in 2023. However, despite a 7% decline in PM2.5 concentrations, pollution levels remain alarmingly high, with six of the top 10 most polluted cities located in India.

Delhi recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 91.6 micrograms per cubic metre, barely changing from 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. The report highlights that 35% of Indian cities reported PM2.5 levels exceeding 10 times the WHO limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre, posing serious health risks.

The 13 Indian cities among the world’s 20 most polluted include Byrnihat (Assam), Delhi, Mullanpur (Punjab), Faridabad, Loni, New Delhi, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh, and Noida.

While India is ranked fifth, the four countries with worse air quality are Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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