Delhi Is The World's Most Polluted Capital, India Has The Third Worst Air Quality: Study
New Delhi has retained its position as the?world's most polluted capital city while Bihar¡¯s Begusarai was the world¡¯s most polluted metropolitan area, a new international study has said.
According to the World Air Quality Report 2023 by Swiss organisation IQAir, India had the third worst air quality out of 134 countries last year.
Top three most polluted countries
Only Bangladesh (79.9 micrograms per cubic metre) and Pakistan (73.7 micrograms per cubic metre) had air quality worse than India, which had an average pm2.5 of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre.
In 2022, India was ranked as the eighth most polluted country with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic metre.
Delhi's air quality worsened in 2023
The study noted that Delhi's PM2.5 levels worsened from 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.
The national capital was ranked the most polluted capital city in the world four times on the trot starting 2018.
Begusarai, the most polluted city
With an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 micrograms per cubic metre, Begusarai in Bihar was the most polluted city in the world in 2023. What is even more shocking is that Begusarai did not even feature in the list in 2022.
How Indians are exposed to air pollution?
According to the report, 1.36 billion people in India experience PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended annual guideline level of 5 micrograms per cubic metre.
Also, 1.33 billion people, 96 per cent of the Indian population, experience PM2.5 levels more than seven times the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline.
Health impact of PM2.5 exposure
Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution leads to and exacerbates numerous health conditions, including but not limited to asthma, cancer, stroke and lung disease.
Exposure to elevated levels of fine particles can impair cognitive development in children, lead to mental health issues, and complicate existing illnesses, including diabetes.
According to the WHO, air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide every year.
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