NEW DELHI: India has topped the list of the most polluted cities in the world, according to a study by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace. Seven among the most polluted cities are in India.
The most polluted city on earth is Gurugram, a home to 1 million people situated about 30 kilometers southwest of New Delhi, followed by Ghaziabad.
Other Indian cities include Bhiwadi (5), Noida (6), Patna (7), Lucknow (9) while Faisalabad (3) and Lahore (10) are in Pakistan and Chinese city Hotan is placed in the 8th position.
There, average air pollution levels in 2018 were more than 13 times the level permitted under WHO guidelines, although air quality had actually improved slightly since the previous year.
Air pollution is an insidious killer. If you are among the 91% of the world’s population who breathes air the World Health Organization (WHO) deems unsafe, then every time you inhale, microscopic particles are being drawn into your lungs.
They get into your bloodstream, causing cancers, strokes and heart disease, stunting children’s growth and development, and even reducing your intelligence.
The research focused on the levels of fine particulate matter known as PM2.5. These microscopic particles 20 times smaller than the width of a human hair are the most dangerous to human health.
(Agencies)
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