• The country’s air quality has worsened since 2022 when it was the eighth most polluted country.
• Rapid industrialization and weak environmental laws contribute to air pollution in several Indian cities.
• The government has enforced school and college closures due to toxic air.

A Swiss-based air-quality monitoring group has found that Delhi was the most polluted capital city in the world in 2023. IQAir reported that India, of which Delhi is the capital, was also ranked as the world’s third-most polluted country after neighbors Bangladesh and Pakistan. According to the report, the country’s air has worsened since 2022, when it was the eighth most polluted country.

Experts assert that several Indian cities face a serious problem of air pollution, attributing it to rapid industrialization and weak enforcement of environmental laws. They highlight that poor industrial regulation leads to factories neglecting pollution-control measures, increasing pollution levels. Additionally, rapid construction exacerbates the issue of rising pollution levels in the country.

According to the report by IQAir, India’s average level of PM2.5 – fine particulate matter that can clog lungs and cause a host of diseases – is measured at 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter. Globally, experts consider air containing 12 to 15 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 safe to breathe, while air exceeding 35 micrograms per cubic meter is deemed unhealthy.

Delhi’s air quality surpassed India’s overall air quality, with the city recording a PM2.5 reading of 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter. Delhi contends with poor air quality throughout the year, but it becomes particularly toxic during winter. This situation arises due to various factors, including farmers burning crop residues in nearby states, emissions from industries and vehicles, low wind speeds, and the detonation of firecrackers during festivals.

Last year, the government enforced the closure of schools and colleges for several consecutive days due to the toxic air. Meanwhile, the northern Indian city of Begusarai and the northeastern city of Guwahati claimed the top two spots as the most polluted cities in the world. Only seven countries fulfilled the World Health Organization (WHO)’s annual PM2.5 guideline, which mandates an annual average of 5 micrograms per cubic meter or less.

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