India’s Air Quality Crisis: Ranked Fifth Most Polluted Country
Overview
On March 16, 2025, the Congress party sharply criticized the Indian government following the release of the 2024 World Air Quality Report by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, which ranked India as the fifth most polluted country globally.
The report, published earlier in March, underscores the persistent and severe air pollution plaguing the nation, despite a slight improvement from its third-place ranking in 2023. With an average PM2.5 concentration of 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³)—ten times the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline of 5 µg/m³—India’s air quality remains a pressing public health and environmental challenge.
Key Findings from the 2024 World Air Quality Report
- National Ranking: India slipped to fifth place among the world’s most polluted countries, behind Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This marks a marginal improvement from its third-place ranking in 2023, when the average PM2.5 level was 54.4 µg/m³. The 7% decline in PM2.5 concentrations in 2024 reflects some progress, yet the levels remain dangerously high.
- Urban Hotspots: Six of the world’s ten most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Assam topping the global list at 128.2 µg/m³. New Delhi, the capital, retained its status as the world’s most polluted capital city for the sixth consecutive year, recording an annual PM2.5 average of 91.6 µg/m³—virtually unchanged from 92.7 µg/m³ in 2023. Additionally, 74 of the world’s 100 most polluted cities are Indian, highlighting the widespread nature of the crisis.
- Health Impact: Air pollution continues to exact a heavy toll. A 2024 Lancet study cited by Congress estimates that 7.2% of all deaths in India—approximately 34,000 annually in just 10 cities—are linked to air pollution. Long-term exposure to PM2.5, fine particulate matter that penetrates the lungs and bloodstream, is associated with respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and increased mortality rates. The IQAir report estimates that air pollution reduces life expectancy in India by an average of 5.2 years.
Congress Party’s Criticism
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh issued a scathing statement on March 16, accusing the government of denying the air pollution-linked mortality crisis, underfunding mitigation programs, and mismanaging allocated resources. Ramesh pointed to several systemic failures:
- Policy Inaction: He criticized the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019 to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30% by 2024, for focusing narrowly on road dust rather than tackling primary PM2.5 sources—industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, and biomass burning.
- Unspent Funds: Ramesh highlighted that over 75% of the Environment Protection Charge (EPC) and Environmental Compensation (EC) funds—totaling ₹665.75 crores—have remained unutilized in the past five years, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
- Outdated Standards: He called for a revamp of the Air Pollution (Control and Prevention) Act of 1981 and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which permit PM2.5 levels of 60 µg/m³ (24-hour) and 40 µg/m³ (annual)—far laxer than WHO guidelines of 15 µg/m³ and 5 µg/m³, respectively.
Ramesh proposed immediate actions, including enforcing stricter coal power plant norms with Fluoride Gas Desulfurizers (FGDs) by the end of 2025, restoring the National Green Tribunal’s independence, and rolling back “anti-people” environmental law amendments from the past decade.
Sources of Pollution
India’s air quality crisis stems from multiple sources:
- Industrial Emissions: Accounting for 51% of particulate pollution, industries, particularly coal-powered plants, are major contributors.
- Vehicular Emissions: Responsible for 27% of pollution, the rapid increase in vehicles, especially in urban centers, exacerbates the problem.
- Biomass Burning: In rural areas and during winter months, burning wood, dung, and crop residue (notably stubble in northern states like Punjab and Haryana) contributes 17% to pollution levels.
- Construction and Other Sources: Dust from construction and waste burning add to the toxic mix, making up the remaining 5%.
Seasonal factors, such as stubble burning in November and winter inversions trapping pollutants, further worsen air quality in northern India, with Delhi often recording “severe” Air Quality Index (AQI) levels above 400.
Government Response and Efforts
The government has touted initiatives like the NCAP, stricter Bharat Stage VI emission standards for vehicles, and the promotion of electric vehicles and renewable energy.
In October 2024, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that a pollution-free environment is a fundamental right, urging stronger action against stubble burning and vehicular pollution.
However, critics, including Congress, argue that enforcement remains weak, and the NCAP lacks legal backing and sufficient funding—currently allocated ₹10,500 crores, which Ramesh suggests should increase to ₹25,000 crores.
The 2024 World Air Quality Report noted an expansion of monitoring stations, with 8,954 new locations and around 1,000 additional monitors added in India, reflecting efforts to improve data collection. Yet, rural areas and smaller cities remain under-monitored.
Health and Economic Toll
The health consequences are dire. A 2024 study by the International Institute of Population Sciences, using National Family and Health Survey data, found a 13% increase in premature adult mortality and a 100% increase in child mortality in districts exceeding NAAQS limits. Economically, air pollution cost India $36.8 billion in 2019—1.36% of GDP—due to premature deaths and lost productivity, according to the World Bank.
Looking Ahead
The Congress party’s critique has reignited debate over India’s air quality strategy.
Experts and activists echo calls for a regional “airshed” approach, stricter enforcement of emission norms, and subsidies for cleaner cooking fuels like LPG to replace biomass.
With 35% of Indian cities reporting PM2.5 levels exceeding ten times the WHO guideline, the crisis demands urgent, coordinated action across government, industry, and society.
As India grapples with this public health emergency, the 2024 World Air Quality Report serves as both a warning and a call to action.
Whether the government will heed these demands remains to be seen, but for now, millions of Indians continue to breathe some of the world’s most toxic air.
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