13 Of World’s 20 Most Polluted Cities In India

According to a new report released on Tuesday, 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Assam ranking the highest.

The World Air Quality Report 2024, published by Swiss air quality technology firm IQAir, states that Delhi continues to be the most polluted capital city in the world. Meanwhile, India dropped to the fifth position among the world’s most polluted countries in 2024, compared to third place in 2023.

The report said India saw a 7 per cent decline in PM2.5 concentrations in 2024, averaging 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. Yet, six of the world’s 10 most polluted cities are in India.

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Most Polluted Cities: India’s Air Quality Crisis

Delhi recorded consistently high pollution levels, with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 91.6 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly unchanged from 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.

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

Overall, 35 per cent of the Indian cities reported annual PM2.5 levels exceeding 10 times the WHO limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre.

Air pollution remains a serious health risk in India, reducing life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years.

A Lancet Planetary Health study published last year estimated that long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution potentially caused about 1.5 million deaths in India every year from 2009 to 2019.

PM2.5 refers to tiny air pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns, which can enter the lungs and bloodstream, leading to breathing problems, heart disease and even cancer. Sources include vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions and the burning of wood or crop waste.

Former WHO chief scientist and health ministry advisor Soumya Swaminathan said India has made progress in air quality data collection but lacks sufficient action.

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