Growing threat of air pollution in India: 13 of the 20 world’s most polluted cities are in India

According to a new report published on Tuesday, 13 of the top 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. Meghalaya’s Burnihat in the top of the list of polluted cities. The World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir states that Delhi remains the most polluted capital globally, while India has become the fifth most polluted country in the world in 2024.

The report said that India saw a 7 percent decline in PM2.5 concentration in 2024, averaging 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter compared to 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. Still, 6 of the 10 most polluted cities in the world are in India. Delhi consistently recorded high pollution levels, with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 91.6 micrograms per cubic meter, which was expected to be around 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.

There are 13 Indian cities among the top 20 most polluted cities in the world: Burnihat, Delhi, Mullanpur (Punjab), Faridabad, Loni, New Delhi, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh and Noida.

Overall, 35 percent of Indian cities have annual PM2.5 levels 10 times higher than the WHO limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Air pollution in India has reached a dangerous level and due to this, the lifespan of an average Indian is reduced by about 5.2 years.

Most Polluted Cities in the World in 2024

1. Byrnihat, India

2. Delhi, India

3. Karaganda, Kazakhstan

4. Mullanpur, India

5. Lahore, Pakistan

6. Faridabad, India

7. N’Djamena, Chad

8. Loni, India

9. New Delhi, India

10. Multan, Pakistan

11. Peshawar, Pakistan

12. Sialkot, Pakistan

13. Gurugram, India

14. Ganganagar, India

15. Hotan, China

16. Greater Noida, India

17. Bhiwadi, India

18. Muzaffarnagar, India

19. Hanumangarh, India

20. Noida, India