List Of 10 Most Polluted Cities In India 2023

India's air quality continues to be a pressing and critical concern. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) took a momentous step by revising its air quality guidelines, significantly tightening its standards. This revision was prompted by a mounting body of scientific evidence underscoring the grave health implications of air pollution.

The updated WHO Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) represent an earnest endeavour to offer nations a more lucid framework for addressing and mitigating the deleterious health consequences of air pollution. Regrettably, while numerous countries have promptly adjusted their air quality standards under the WHO's guidance, India has remained stagnant, adhering to the antiquated National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) last revised in 2009.

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10 Most Polluted Cities In The World 2023

India, as one of the most densely populated nations, faces particularly high stakes in this regard. Its major cities repeatedly find themselves among the world's most polluted, and the persistence with outdated air quality standards isn't just a matter of statistics; it translates into tangible, adverse health ramifications for millions of its inhabitants. The situation is a cause for significant concern, and the latest statistics bear testament to the magnitude of the problem. Here is the list:

Alarmingly, according to data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi stands atop the list of the world's most polluted cities. With an Air Quality Index soaring to a distressing 398, New Delhi not only secures its position as the most polluted city in India but also assumes the ignominious distinction of being the most polluted city globally. In this disconcerting ranking, New Delhi is trailed by Lahore in Pakistan and Kolkata in India.

Delhi is the most Polluted Cities In The World in 2023

The Delhi-NCR region is grappling with a severe degradation of air quality, a predicament exacerbated by a constellation of factors, including plummeting minimum temperatures, the scourge of stubble burning, and a dearth of wind speed. This gloomy cocktail has cast a pall of apocalyptic haze, forcing residents to grapple with respiratory distress. As a result, the region now finds itself in stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan, a stern measure to combat pollution. Even educational institutions have not been immune to the consequences, as schools were temporarily shuttered for two days to safeguard the well-being of students.

As the calendar turned to October 2023, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) painted a bleak picture of Delhi's air quality. This year's October air quality was reported to be the worst since 2020, and meteorologists attribute this to a lack of rain. The capital city recorded an AQI of 210 in October, compared to 210 in the same month last year and 173 in October 2021, as confirmed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). These statistics underscore the relentless challenge posed by air pollution in the Indian capital and the pressing need for stringent actions to address this environmental crisis.

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