The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): In a recent assessment, Bihar’s Begusarai has been recognized as the metropolitan area with the highest level of pollution globally, while Delhi has once again been pinpointed as the capital with the most compromised air quality. This evaluation stems from the World Air Quality Report 2023, released by the Swiss entity IQAir, which highlighted India’s critical state of air pollution.
With an alarming annual mean of PM2.5 particles at 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter, India was positioned as the third most polluted nation among 134 countries in the year 2023. This ranking places it just behind Bangladesh and Pakistan, which recorded PM2.5 concentrations of 79.9 and 73.7 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively. This marks a significant shift from 2022, where India was ranked eighth globally, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic meter.
The city of Begusarai notably rose to the top as the most polluted metropolitan area worldwide, with a PM2.5 average of 118.9 micrograms per cubic meter, a significant jump from not being listed in the 2022 rankings. Concurrently, Delhi experienced a deterioration in air quality, with PM2.5 levels escalating from 89.1 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter from 2022 to 2023. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the national capital has been identified as the most polluted capital city globally.
It’s estimated that approximately 1.36 billion residents of India are subjected to PM2.5 concentrations that surpass the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended annual guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Furthermore, about 1.33 billion people, or 96% of India’s population, are exposed to PM2.5 levels that exceed the WHO’s guideline by more than seven times. This concerning trend is reflected at the city level, with over two-thirds of India’s cities reporting annual average PM2.5 concentrations above 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
The data for the 2023 report was compiled from an expansive network of over 30,000 air quality monitoring stations worldwide. These stations are operated by a variety of entities, including research institutions, governmental organizations, universities, non-profits, private firms, and citizen scientists. The increase in data collection points from 7,323 in 2022 to 7,812 in 2023, spanning 134 countries, underscores the growing concern and attention towards air quality monitoring.