The world’s most polluted city is Biwandi in Rajasthan. India’s air pollution worsened in 2021, according to the World Air Quality Report. 63 Indian Cities In 100 Most Polluted Places on Earth. Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital for the fourth consecutive year.
India’s Air Quality Standard
The average air pollution, measured in the lethal and microscopic PM2.5 pollutant, is 58.1 micrograms per cubic meter, which is more than 10 times the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) air quality guidelines. No city in India met the WHO standard. North India is worse. Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital for the fourth consecutive year, with pollution rising almost 15 percent over the previous year.
Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital
Delhi’s air pollution ranks at No. 4 globally, the world’s most polluted place is Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi, followed by Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad on Delhi’s eastern border. Ten of the top 15 most polluted cities are in India and mostly around the national capital. With 63, Indian cities dominate the list of 100 most polluted places. More than half are in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. REPORTSRECORDS.COM
Impact of Pollution on Economy
Air pollution causes and aggravates many diseases, ranging from asthma to cancer, lung illnesses, and heart disease. The daily economic cost of air pollution has been figured at $8 billion (USD). It costs 3 to 4% of the gross world product. Air pollution affects those that are most vulnerable the most. The deaths of 40,000 children under the age of five were directly linked to PM2.5 air pollution.
CENTRAL & SOUTH ASIA
Central and South Asia is home to 46 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities. Around 70% of global air quality-related deaths occur in this region. Only two cities in this region meet the WHO air quality guideline, Chu and Zhezqazghan, both in Kazakhstan. India and Pakistan are the worst air quality in this region, with 48% and 67% respectively.
India’s status on the pollution scale.
India is home to 11 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia. Delhi sees a 14.6% increase in PM2.5 concentrations in 2021 with levels rising to 96.4 µg/m3 from 84 µg/m3 in 2020. No cities in India met the WHO air quality guideline of 5 µg/m3. Air pollution has a massive impact on human health in India. It is the second biggest risk factor for disease. The economic cost of air pollution is estimated to exceed $150 billion dollars annually.
