Bihar's Begusarai becomes 'most polluted city globally': Reports

• Begusarai, Bihar, named "most polluted metropolitan area" in 2023
• Delhi identified as the capital city with the "poorest air quality" among global nations
• India ranks third worst for average annual PM2.5 concentration, trailing behind Bangladesh and Pakistan

In a recent report by the Swiss organization IQAir, Bihar's Begusarai has emerged as the "most polluted metropolitan area" in 2023. This revelation comes as part of the World Air Quality Report 2023.

Delhi, the nation's capital, has also been singled out for having the "poorest air quality" among global capitals. The report places India in the third-worst position out of 134 countries, concerning the average annual concentration of PM2.5, with Bangladesh and Pakistan preceding in the ranking.

Aidan Farrow, Senior Air Quality Scientist at IQAir stated, "IQAir’s annual report illustrates the international nature and inequitable consequences of the enduring air pollution crisis. Local, national, and international effort is urgently needed to monitor air quality in under-resourced places, manage the causes of transboundary haze, and cut our reliance on combustion as an energy source."

The report further unveils startling statistics, indicating that ninety-six percent of India's population resides in areas where air quality exceeds WHO guidelines by seven times.