Six of the World's 10 Most Polluted Cities Are in India

New Delhi: A new report released on Tuesday revealed that 13 out of the world's top 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Assam ranking first. 

The World Air Quality Report 2024, published by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, stated that Delhi remains the most polluted capital globally. It also ranked India as the fifth most polluted country in the world in 2024, a drop from its third-place ranking in 2023. 

India recorded a 7% decline in PM2.5 concentration in 2024, with an average drop to 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter, compared to 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. However, the report highlighted that six of the world’s ten most polluted cities are still in India. 

Delhi continues to register high pollution levels, with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 91.6 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, slightly lower than 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. 

Among the top 20 most polluted cities in the world, 13 are in India: Byrnihat (Assam), Delhi, Mullanpur (Punjab), Faridabad, Loni, Delhi (again), Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh, and Noida. 

Air pollution poses a severe health risk in India, reducing the average life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years. 

According to a Lancet Planetary Health study published last year, an estimated 1.5 million deaths per year in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to PM2.5 pollution.