India’s Most Polluted City 2026: Byrnihat Tops PM2.5 List

India’s Air Crisis: Byrnihat Overtakes Delhi as Most Polluted City in 2026

A new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) titled “Tracing the Hazy Air 2026” reveals a staggering gap between India’s air pollution reality and its mitigation efforts. While Delhi often dominates headlines, Byrnihat (on the Assam-Meghalaya border) has emerged as the most polluted city in the country.

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1. The Pollution Leaderboard (PM2.5 Levels)

The 2026 report ranks cities based on PM2.5 (fine particulate matter), which poses the greatest risk to human health.

Note: The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 is 40 $\mu g/m^3$. Byrnihat’s air is 2.5 times the safe limit.

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2. Why Byrnihat? The Industrial Trap

Byrnihat’s position as the pollution capital is driven by a unique “perfect storm” of factors:

• Factory Density: The town houses 41 major factories (distilleries, steel, and cement) within just 49.5 $km^2$.

• The “Assam Side” Factor: Authorities note that 20 high-pollution “Red Category” industries are situated just across the border in Assam, significantly impacting the shared airshed.

• Topography: The region’s bowl-shaped terrain traps pollutants, preventing them from dispersing.

• Lack of Oversight: Enforcement was historically low, leading to a 76% rise in local respiratory infections between 2022 and 2024.

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3. The NCAP “Coverage Gap”

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, is intended to be the primary fix. However, the 2026 assessment highlights a major failure in its scope:

• Chronic Pollution: Nearly 44% of Indian cities (1,787 out of 4,041) are in “chronic non-attainment,” failing safe standards for 5+ years.

• Missing Cities: Of these chronically polluted cities, only 4% are currently covered by NCAP.

• Funding Misalignment: Out of ₹13,415 crore released, 68% was spent on road dust management, while less than 1% went toward tackling industrial emissions at the source.

4. States with Highest Non-Attainment Cities

The pollution crisis is heavily concentrated in North and Central India:

1. Uttar Pradesh: 416 cities

2. Rajasthan: 158 cities

3. Gujarat: 152 cities

4. Madhya Pradesh: 143 cities

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