India’s national capital, Delhi, heads the list of the most polluted Capital cities of the world with an average of 98.6 Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) concentration, as per the World Air Quality Report released on Tuesday by the Swiss-based agency AirVisual. Delhi’s satellite town Ghaziabad tops the list of the most polluted regional cities (110 PM).
The report noted that 21 of the world’s 30 cities with the worst air pollution are in India.
Overall, India ranked fifth on the list of 98 countries in PM 2.5 concentration. In contrast, the neighbouring Bangladesh topped the list among the most polluted country per person, followed by Pakistan, Mongolia and Afghanistan.
PM 2.5 microscopic particles which are smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter are considered particularly harmful as they are small enough to enter deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system.
PM 2.5 includes pollutants such as sulfate, nitrates and black carbon. Exposure to such particles has been linked to lung and heart disorders and can impair cognitive and immune functions.
The report indicated that climate change and air pollution are linked and that “urgent action” was needed to fight greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the fact that national air pollution in India decreased by 20 per cent from 2018 to 2019, with 98 per cent of cities experiencing of varying levels of improvement came as a silver line.
Of the world’s top 30 most polluted cities during 2019, 21 are located in India, 27 in South Asia, and all the top 30 cities are within greater Asia. The global air quality information and tech company had gleaned data for the report from on the ground monitoring stations that measure levels of fine particulate matter, known as PM 2.5, per cubic meter.
Citing reports that 90 per cent of the global population breathes air exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) exposure targets, the report indicated that air pollution is estimated to contribute to seven million premature deaths annually.
“Regionally, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Western Asia carry the highest burden of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution overall,” the report indicated, adding that only six of the 355 cities in the region meet WHO targets.
“2019 air quality data shows clear indications that climate change can directly increase the risk of exposure to air pollution, through increased frequency and intensity of forest fires and sandstorms,” it said.
The report also talked about India’s launch of the country’s first National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) which aims to reduce PM 2.5 and the bigger particulate PM 10 air pollution in 102 cities by 20-30% by 2024 compared to 2017 levels.
BOX
Most polluted 21 Indian cities in the order of ranking
Ghaziabad, Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Greater Noida, Bandhwari, Lucknow, Bulandshahr, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Jind, Faridabad, Coraut, Bhiwadi, Patna, Palwal, Muzaffarpur, Hisar, Kutail, Jodhpur and Moradabad.