Despite a 7% drop in PM2.5 levels India remains the world’s fifth most polluted country, with six of the ten most polluted cities globally. The 2024 IQAir World Air Quality Report reveals that India’s annual PM2.5 average fell to 50.6 µg/m³ from 54.4 µg/m³ in 2023, yet pollution levels remain alarmingly high.
New Delhi, a pollution hotspot, recorded an annual PM2.5 average of 91.6 µg/m³, showing little change from the previous year. Northern states continue to suffer from severe pollution spikes, with Baddi in Himachal Pradesh reporting a shocking PM2.5 level of 165 µg/m³ in January. Stubble burning contributed to 60% of PM2.5 levels in Punjab, Haryana, and surrounding regions, worsening air quality in November.
Air pollution remains a major public health crisis, reducing life expectancy in India by an estimated 5.2 years. Major contributors include vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust, and agricultural burning. While the government has launched initiatives like the National Clean Air Programme, enforcement remains weak. The Supreme Court reaffirmed clean air as a fundamental right in 2024, mandating stricter measures, but criticized Delhi for its poor implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
With 99% of the global population living in areas failing WHO air quality standards, the UN stresses that clean air must be a universal right. Stronger policies, stricter enforcement, and sustainable solutions are crucial to tackling India’s persistent pollution crisis.