DELHI TOPS IN POLLUTION ISSUE FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TIME: BEGUSARAI DISTRICT OF BIHAR POPS UP IN DISCUSSION

New Delhi, March 19, 2024: Delhi has reclaimed its position as the most polluted capital globally, marking the fourth consecutive time since 2018. This news brings significant concern, particularly for the residents of Delhi and the nation at large. The latest World Air Quality Report 2023 by the Swiss organization IQAir reveals India’s alarming air quality status, ranking it as the third-worst globally out of 134 countries, trailing behind Bangladesh and Pakistan. Furthermore, Begusarai, a district in Bihar, has emerged as the most polluted metropolitan area worldwide, a development not witnessed in the 2022 rankings.

The report highlights that Delhi’s persistent air pollution crisis continues unabated, with an estimated 1.36 billion Indians experiencing PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the WHO’s annual guideline level of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Additionally, a staggering 1.33 billion individuals, constituting 96 percent of India’s population, endure PM2.5 levels seven times higher than the WHO annual guideline. Shockingly, more than 66 percent of cities across India exhibit an annual average PM2.5 concentration exceeding 35 micrograms per cubic meter.

IQAir, the organization behind the report, collected data from over 30,000 regulated air quality monitoring stations and a global network of low-cost air quality sensors operated by various entities, including research institutes, governmental bodies, universities, non-profit organizations, and educational facilities.

The 2023 report marks a worsening trend compared to 2022, with data expanded to include 7,812 locations across 134 countries, territories, and regions. Alarmingly, air pollution, responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide annually, remains the foremost environmental threat to human health, as per WHO statistics.

Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution poses grave health risks, contributing to conditions such as asthma, cancer, stroke, and lung disease, and exacerbating mental health issues and pre-existing illnesses like diabetes. The implications of these findings underscore the urgent need for concerted efforts to mitigate air pollution and safeguard public health across the globe.