Patna: Despite Bihar ranking among the most polluted regions globally, state officials claim there is a glimmer of hope in the fight against air pollution. The recently released World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air monitoring firm IQAir has listed seven cities from the state among the world’s top 50 most polluted urban centres. However, Bihar’s Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Department insists that air quality is showing signs of improvement in several towns.
Bandana Preyashi, Secretary of the department, took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the findings. “The World Air Quality Report 2024 has been released, and there is a silver lining for Bihar. In most of the towns, the annual average PM2.5 has decreased compared to the previous year,” she stated.
The report, published on March 11, paints a grim picture of India’s air quality, revealing that 13 of the 20 most polluted cities worldwide are in the country. India ranked as the fifth-most polluted nation in 2024, trailing Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. New Delhi was once again named the most polluted capital city, followed by N’Djamena in Chad.
Bihar’s pollution hotspots include Bhagalpur, which ranked 31st globally, followed closely by Araria (32), Patna (37), Hajipur (39), Chhapra (41), Saharsa (45), and Muzaffarpur (47). Notably, Patna’s position has improved significantly, dropping from 20th place in 2023 to 37th this year. The city’s PM2.5 concentration averaged 73.7 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), still 10 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended safety threshold.
The World Air Quality Report relies on PM2.5 data collected from 106 countries through ground-based monitoring stations, most of which are managed by government agencies. PM2.5—particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter—is particularly hazardous as it can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, leading to severe health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory ailments, and cancer.
While the state government acknowledges that air pollution remains a significant challenge, it maintains that progress is being made. The drop in PM2.5 levels in certain towns suggests that ongoing efforts to curb pollution, including stricter regulations on industrial emissions and vehicular pollution, may be yielding results. However, with Bihar continuing to struggle with poor air quality, experts emphasize the urgent need for sustained and comprehensive action to address the crisis.
