Byrnihat, a border town in Meghalaya adjacent to Assam’s capital Guwahati, has been ranked as the most polluted city in the world. This shocking revelation comes from the 2024 World Air Quality Index released by Switzerland-based international organization IQAir. The fact that Byrnihat has earned the infamous distinction of being the world’s most polluted city is an extremely undesirable development for Meghalaya.
Since air cannot be restricted by borders, Byrnihat’s pollution is a major concern for Guwahati residents as well. IQAir’s seventh annual report highlights the alarming pollution levels in Byrnihat, serving as a warning for Guwahati. The extent to which the toxic air affects the small town of Byrnihat is equally concerning for Guwahati, as the polluted air will inevitably drift into the plains, contaminating the city’s atmosphere.
This report brings troubling news for India as well. Among the world’s 10 most polluted cities, 6 are in India, and 13 out of the top 20 are Indian cities. Following Byrnihat, the second-most polluted city on the list is NCR Delhi, making it the most polluted national capital in the world.
Meanwhile, India ranks 5th among the most polluted countries in the world. Chad holds the unfortunate distinction of being the most polluted country, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. India follows closely behind Pakistan, with the report stating that air pollution in India reduces the average life expectancy by 5.2 years.
IQAir gathered this data from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations spread across 8,954 locations in 138 countries.