<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">India continues to grapple with severe air pollution, with 13 of the world&rsquo;s 20 most polluted cities located in the country, according to the World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir. Byrnihat in Assam has topped the global list, while Delhi remains the most polluted capital city.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The report also revealed that India ranked as the world&rsquo;s fifth most polluted country in 2024, improving slightly from its third-place ranking in 2023. However, pollution levels remain alarmingly high, with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre&mdash;ten times the World Health Organization&rsquo;s (WHO) safe limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Delhi&rsquo;s pollution levels remained nearly unchanged, with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 91.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024, compared to 92.7 in 2023. Six of the world&rsquo;s 10 most polluted cities are in India, including Byrnihat, Delhi, Mullanpur (Punjab), Faridabad, Loni, New Delhi, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh, and Noida.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the report, air pollution remains a major public health crisis in India, cutting average life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years. A 2023 Lancet Planetary Health study found that long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution was potentially linked to 1.5 million deaths annually in India from 2009 to 2019.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">PM2.5 refers to fine air pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and even cancer. Major sources include vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and crop burning.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite improvements in air quality data collection, experts emphasize the urgent need for concrete action. Former WHO Chief Scientist and Health Ministry Advisor Soumya Swaminathan stressed that while India has made progress in monitoring air pollution, enforcement remains inadequate.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">"We have the data, now we need action. Some solutions, such as replacing biomass with LPG for cooking, are straightforward. India already has a scheme for this, but further subsidies are needed, especially for poor families who cannot afford refills," Swaminathan said.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">She also called for expanded public transportation and stricter penalties for non-compliant vehicles to curb urban air pollution. "A mix of incentives and penalties is necessary," she added.</span></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Strict enforcement of emission regulations for industries and construction sites is also crucial, Swaminathan noted. "Industries must install pollution control equipment rather than taking shortcuts," she said, urging policymakers to implement stringent measures to combat the worsening air quality crisis.</span></div>

Experts have emphasized the urgent need for concrete action to curb pollution

Delhi still the most polluted capital with avg PM2.5 concentration alarmingly high

13 of World’s 20 Most Polluted Cities in India: Report

Delhi still the most polluted capital with avg PM2.5 concentration alarmingly high

March 11, 2025 | 12:52 IST