GUWAHATI: A new air quality report released on Tuesday, March 11, has identified Byrnihat, near Guwahati, as the most polluted city in the world.
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Meghalaya’s city has consistently experienced "very poor" air quality due to elevated levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). The primary sources of pollution have been attributed to industrial emissions from 41 factories, including iron and steel plants, distilleries, cement factories, and beverage production units.
Additionally, its role as a transit hub between Assam and Meghalaya further worsens the situation, with heavy truck traffic adding to the pollution. Local authorities have also confirmed the absence of a dedicated pollution control body in the area, with officials only visiting from Shillong, nearly 70 km away.
Earlier, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) Chairman R. Nainamalai had stated on February 5 that Byrnihat’s rising pollution levels in 2024 were due to industries operating in Assam, not Meghalaya. He noted that while Meghalaya has only two ‘Red’ category factories, while Assam has around 20 such industries along the border.
In the report, the World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir ranked 13 Indian cities among the world’s top 20 most polluted. Delhi remains the most polluted capital city globally, while India placed fifth in overall country rankings, down from third in 2023.
The report also recorded a 7 per cent decline in India’s PM2.5 levels in 2024, averaging 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to 54.4 in 2023. Despite such improvements, six of the world's 10 most polluted cities continue to exist in India.
The most polluted countries ahead of India are Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
