New Delhi: Thirteen of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Meghalaya topping the list, according to a new report published on Tuesday.
The World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir said Delhi remains the most polluted capital city globally, while India ranked as the world’s fifth most polluted country in 2024, marking an improvement from its third rank in 2023.
The average PM2.5 concentration in India declined by 7% from 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023 to 50.6 in 2024.
However, the improvement is far from sufficient, as 35% of Indian cities recorded PM2.5 levels exceeding 10 times the World Health Organization’s safety limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Byrnihat, a town on the Meghalaya-Assam border, has attributed its severe pollution levels to emissions from local industries, including distilleries and iron and steel plants.
Delhi’s pollution crisis has worsened, with the annual average PM2.5 concentration rising from 102.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023 to 108.3 in 2024.
The city’s air quality deteriorates further during winter due to a combination of vehicular emissions, crop burning, firecrackers, and unfavourable weather conditions.
Other Indian cities among the top 20 most polluted globally include Mullanpur, Faridabad, Gurugram, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, and Muzaffarnagar.
Air pollution in India continues to pose significant health risks, reducing life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution has been linked to approximately 1.5 million deaths annually between 2009 and 2019, according to a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health.
PM2.5 particles, smaller than 2.5 microns, can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing respiratory problems, heart disease, and cancer.
Major sources of PM2.5 pollution include vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and the burning of wood and crop waste.
Experts have urged the government to prioritise actionable steps to mitigate pollution. Former WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan stressed the need for replacing biomass with subsidized LPG to reduce household pollution.
She emphasised the importance of expanding public transport systems, penalizing polluting vehicles, and enforcing stricter industrial emission laws.
Swaminathan also advocated for providing additional subsidies for LPG cylinders to support the poorest families, particularly women.
Greenpeace South Asia’s deputy program director, Avinash Chanchal, criticized the inadequacy of clean air action plans in India.
He highlighted the lack of dedicated funding for public transport systems, which hampers cities from adding new bus fleets and building efficient infrastructure.
Chanchal called for the establishment of a public transport fund to invest in buses, fare subsidies, and rapid mass transit systems.
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He argued that mobility should be treated as a basic right rather than a commodity.
Vivek Agarwal, country director for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, pointed out systemic issues contributing to persistent pollution levels.
He stated that fragmented regulatory institutions and unreliable pollution data hinder enforcement and accountability.
Agarwal criticized measures like the odd-even scheme in Delhi, describing them as superficial solutions that fail to address systemic contributors such as old polluting trucks and construction dust.
He advocated for a centralised, well-funded regulatory overhaul to tackle pollution effectively.
The report underscores the urgent need for coordinated and comprehensive efforts to combat air pollution in India.
