India’s Small Town Ranked No. 1 in the World for Air Pollution

The small industrial city of Birnihat in the Indian state of Assam had an average annual concentration of 128.2 of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) last year, more than 25 times the WHO standard, according to a report released March 11 by IQAir, a Swiss-based air-purification information technology company. Local residents say growing industry, construction and the destruction of forests are the main reasons for the city’s high pollution levels. Thirteen of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India, with the capital, New Delhi, being the most polluted national capital for the sixth consecutive year.