LyrArc Article Gist
The World Health Organization lists the world's most polluted cities with the highest level of PM2.5 particulate matter as

1. Kanpur, India     173

2. Faridabad          172

3.  Varanasi            151

4.  Gaya                  149

5. Patna                   144

6.  Delhi                    143

7.  Lucknow                 138

8.  Agra                        131

9.  Muzzaffarpur           120

10.  Srinagar                113

11.   Gurgaon                113

12.  Jaipur                     105

13.  Patiala                      101

14.  Jodhpur                     98

15.  li Subah ali Salem      94

A look at the cities most polluted shows that most of the cities are in or near New Delhi, (Gurgaon, New Delhi, Faridabad, Agra) in the state of Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Agra). The cities on the list that one does not expect are cities such as Jodhpur in the Thar desert, and Srinagar in the mountainous region of Kashmir. Srinagar is on the list because of inadequate sewage facilities to treat sewage. The Dal lake is polluted from houseboats and tourist hotels dumping sewage into the lake and not connecting to the sewage system. Jodhpur is polluted from auto exhaust and vehicular pollution..

The WHO says India's efforts to control pollution need to follow the steps taken by China recently. In response to citizen pressure and outrage about health conditions China has closed down polluting factories, and is shifting away from coal, away from coal stoves. India's efforts are inadequate and scattered says the WHO. This includes stopping fireworks sales that aggravated toxic conditions in Delhi. A program giving 37 million poor Indian women free gas connections helps a shift from use of dung fired clay ovens or coal ovens. Pollution kills 7 million people each year says WHO, and over half or 3.8 million people die from use of unhealthy cooking stoves which create indoor air pollution.

Of cities above 14 million Delhi ranks first, Cairo, Egypt second, Mumbai, India fourth and Beijing fifth in air pollution levels.