Brief: 

• Reports compiled by IQAir Air Visual, World Air Quality Report 2019 suggests India is the 5th most polluted country in the world. The matter of concern is “GHAZIABAD” the most polluted city in the world.

• Compared to 2018, pollution decrease in 2019 though half of the 50 most polluted cities were in India.

• The Bahamas was the cleanest country in the world.

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IQAir a company that primarily works on air filtration. On the global compilation of PM 2.5 particulate pollution data by IQAir, India was the 5th most polluted country with Ghaziabad ranked as the most polluted city in the world.

According to reports notes, the air pollution in India decreased in 2019 from 2018 yet about half of the 50 most polluted cities were in India. As to reducing air pollution in 102 most polluted cities by a maximum of 30% by 2024, India launched the National Clean Air Programme in 2019.  However, the decrease in air pollution was due to the “slowing of the market place” not because of the Programme.

According to the Economic Survey in January, India expected economic growth rate slow down to 5% in ’19-20 from 6.1% in ’18-’19 and 7% in ’17-’18.

IQ Air statement, “Whilst cities in India, on average, exceed the World Health Organisation target for annual PM2.5 exposure by 500%, national air pollution decreased by 20% from 2018 to 2019, with 98% of cities experiencing improvements.”

Bangladesh was the most polluted country in 2019 (an average PM 2.5 concentration of 83 µg/m³). Next was Pakistan with 65 µg/m³ and India had an average of 58.1 µg/m³.  IQAir 2018 report presented, top 2 countries were in usual positions, where India was 3rd most polluted in the world.

Among the 90 countries- the Bahamas ranked the cleanest with an average of 3 µg/m³.

IQ Air reckoned data from the pollution recorded by sensors maintained by the government bodies- for India.  The data was mostly maintained by the Central and state pollution control boards. Where monitoring stations maintained by private organizations.

The press statement added, “The new dataset highlights elevated air pollution levels as a result of climate change events, such as sandstorms and wildfires, and pollution gains from the rapid urbanization of cities, in regions such as Southeast Asia. While some achievements have been made in air quality monitoring infrastructure globally, there are still huge gaps in access to data around the world.”

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