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Breathless Nation: India's Air Pollution Crisis Revealed in New Report

Kalyani Jha
19 Mar, 2024

India's Ongoing Battle with Air Pollution: A Grim Reality

Recent reports have once again highlighted India's ongoing struggle with air pollution, painting a grim picture of deteriorating air quality and its detrimental impact on public health. According to the World Air Quality Report 2023 by IQAir, India has been ranked third worst globally in terms of average annual PM2.5 concentration, following Bangladesh and Pakistan. This alarming revelation underscores the urgent need for effective measures to combat air pollution and safeguard public health.

The report identifies Begusarai in Bihar as the world's most polluted metropolitan area, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 micrograms per cubic meter. Additionally, Delhi retains its unfortunate title as the most polluted capital city globally for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting the severity of the air quality crisis in India's major urban centers.

What makes this situation even more alarming is that nearly all of the 100 cities with the worst air pollution worldwide in 2023 were in Asia, with a staggering 83 of them located in India alone. These cities far surpassed the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines, indicating the severe health risks posed by prolonged exposure to high levels of air pollution.

The report's focus on fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, emphasizes its hazardous nature, with only 9% of over 7,800 cities assessed globally meeting the WHO's standard. PM2.5 pollution can lead to a range of health issues, including asthma, cancer, stroke, lung disease, and cognitive impairments, affecting millions of individuals and exacerbating existing health conditions.

The data collected by IQAir from over 30,000 air quality monitoring stations worldwide paints a stark picture of the global air pollution crisis. It is estimated that 1.36 billion people in India alone are exposed to PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the WHO recommended annual guideline level, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address this pressing environmental and public health issue.

As air pollution continues to pose significant challenges and health risks globally, concerted efforts are needed at all levels to mitigate its impact, protect public health, and ensure a sustainable and healthy environment for future generations.