BANGALORE: In this fast developing world, pollution is a grieve issue that is affecting millions of people all over the world. In fact, as per the World Health Organization, a staggering 1 million people die every year due to pollution and many more are affected. So, here are the ten world’s worst cities for pollution as listed by WHO.
1. Ahvaz, Iran: The hub of Iran’s oil production, Ahvaz is the most polluted city in the world. The city is known for producing sugar and silk, and for linking roads, rails, and pipelines to ports in the Persian Gulf.
It records for 372 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. The city is found to have the highest annual average for outdoor air pollutants. It is an oil center, transportation hub, and industrial city. the Iranian officials blame its high levels of air pollution on the presence of U.S. forces during the Iran-Iraq War.
2. Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia: The capital city of Mongolia, Ulaan baatar serves as the transport and industrial center in this country. It manufactures everything from textiles to cement to processed foods. This industry, in addition to dust from the desert, unpaved roads, lack of vegetation and emissions from coal stoves and local wood-burning stoves, contribute to the severity of the city’s air pollution, especially during the winter. As such, it is the second most polluted cities in the world.
3. Sanandaj, Iran: Also known for its manufacturing industries, Sanandaj produces a range of goods, from carpets to cotton, woodwork to metalware. It is another city of western Iran famed for its numerous manufacturing industries. While the main cause of air pollution in this city is largely undetermined, it emerges as the third most polluted city in the world. It records for 254 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Outside the city is a landscape of beautiful hills and mountains, but the city itself has turned into a sea of smog and commerce.
4. Ludhiana, India and Quetta, Pakistan: In the fourth spot, Ludhiana in India shares the same ranking with Quetta in Pakistan. Ludhiana records for 251 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
It is the largest city in the state of Punjab, and one of the richest in the whole of India. They produce 50 percent of India's bikes and 60 percent of their tractor parts.
Meanwhile, Quetta records for 251 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. It is a high-altitude city well-known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" because of its diverse plant and animal life. The city is also a transportation hub known for its railways and airport.
5. Kermanshah, Iran: With an air pollution index of 229 ug/m3, Kermanshah in Iran ranks sixth on the most polluted cities list. Traditionally an agricultural center, the city is fast becoming industrialized with 256 manufacturing units within the city, including Kermanshah Oil Refining Company which was established in 1932 by the British. Industries today include sugar refining, petrochemicals and electrical equipment all of which are starting to overwhelm the city.
But the real problem lies in the dust storms that regularly sweep through the city of Kermanshah.
6. Peshawar, Pakistan: Fondly called as the City of Flowers, Peshawar is now not even close to its past glory. This is mainly attributed to the rising level of pollution. The city records for 219 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. In Peshawar, air pollution is a source of significant concern.
The main sources include industrial emissions, fumes from the brick kiln factories, extensive burning of solid waste, and vehicular emissions. Noise pollution is also a problem in this city, as it exceeds the normally permitted 85 decibels threshold. The noise is created from planes and trains with ineffective silencers.
It’s enormous expansion and influx of migratory workers has caused a boom in urban pollution. It is also a key city from where the U.S. launches many of its strategic campaigns in Afghanistan.
7. Gaborone, Botswana: A southern African nation, Gaborone is the capital and the biggest city in Botswana. It has three major sources of industrial pollution including a paint factory, a brewery, and a chemical plant. Waste-water, including employees’ sanitary waste, process wastes, and water from heating and air units are discharged into the environment through public sewer lines. The paint and chemical industries are thought to be a source of lead poisoning, which leaks into the soil. Additionally, the soil in Gaborone contains large amounts of heavy metals. The city records for 219 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
8. Yasuj, Iran: A city located in the mountains of southwestern Iran, Yasuj houses various coal-burning power plants and a sugar processing plant. These two factories release a significant amount of emissions into the air resulting in extensive air pollution.
However, in this city instead of looking for a way to decrease the air pollution, it is currently planning to open a refinery that will produce furnace oil, gas oil, asphalt, gasoline, kerosene, and liquefied gas. This will, without a doubt, only increase the number of residents suffering from respiratory illnesses including asthma, lung cancer, and lower respiratory infections. Recently, there has been an increase in cardiac problems in the city, which might be related to the poor air quality.
Yasuj records for 215 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
9. Kanpur, India: Located in northern India, Kanpur is famous for its leather industry. Although, the leather industry benefits the city’s economy and employs thousands, it is also a significant source of hazardous pollution that, environmentalists say, is gradually killing the city. The city records for 209 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
Kanpur is also home to the largest tanneries in India, which are also the primary source of the pollution throughout the city. Every day, the tanneries pump out around 30 crore litres of polluted water into the adjacent Ganges river. The rampant pollution has contaminated ground water sources. There are reports of increasing deformities among new born babies. Even farmers are complaining about their fields turning toxic.
10. Lahore, Pakistan: The second largest city in Pakistan, Lahore is the tenth most polluted cities in the world. Rapidly increasing industrialization and commercialization has turned this metropolis—once known as the City of Gardens—into one of the most polluted cities in the world.
Even residential localities are not safe from increasing trends of commercialization and industrialization because many industrial zones, which were established some years ago outside the city, are now situated right in middle of the City. Dr Anees Sultan, a Lahore-based family physician exclaimed, "The impact of pollution on health can be seen every day. More and more people are coming in with respiratory ailments, and many more children than before have breathing disorders or asthma," reports Irin news.
Various industries especially the steel-related ones releases pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulphur oxides and toxic metals that are considered as the major source of air pollution in the provincial capital without any control and check.
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1. Ahvaz, Iran: The hub of Iran’s oil production, Ahvaz is the most polluted city in the world. The city is known for producing sugar and silk, and for linking roads, rails, and pipelines to ports in the Persian Gulf.
It records for 372 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. The city is found to have the highest annual average for outdoor air pollutants. It is an oil center, transportation hub, and industrial city. the Iranian officials blame its high levels of air pollution on the presence of U.S. forces during the Iran-Iraq War.
2. Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia: The capital city of Mongolia, Ulaan baatar serves as the transport and industrial center in this country. It manufactures everything from textiles to cement to processed foods. This industry, in addition to dust from the desert, unpaved roads, lack of vegetation and emissions from coal stoves and local wood-burning stoves, contribute to the severity of the city’s air pollution, especially during the winter. As such, it is the second most polluted cities in the world.
3. Sanandaj, Iran: Also known for its manufacturing industries, Sanandaj produces a range of goods, from carpets to cotton, woodwork to metalware. It is another city of western Iran famed for its numerous manufacturing industries. While the main cause of air pollution in this city is largely undetermined, it emerges as the third most polluted city in the world. It records for 254 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Outside the city is a landscape of beautiful hills and mountains, but the city itself has turned into a sea of smog and commerce.
4. Ludhiana, India and Quetta, Pakistan: In the fourth spot, Ludhiana in India shares the same ranking with Quetta in Pakistan. Ludhiana records for 251 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
It is the largest city in the state of Punjab, and one of the richest in the whole of India. They produce 50 percent of India's bikes and 60 percent of their tractor parts.
Meanwhile, Quetta records for 251 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. It is a high-altitude city well-known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" because of its diverse plant and animal life. The city is also a transportation hub known for its railways and airport.
5. Kermanshah, Iran: With an air pollution index of 229 ug/m3, Kermanshah in Iran ranks sixth on the most polluted cities list. Traditionally an agricultural center, the city is fast becoming industrialized with 256 manufacturing units within the city, including Kermanshah Oil Refining Company which was established in 1932 by the British. Industries today include sugar refining, petrochemicals and electrical equipment all of which are starting to overwhelm the city.
But the real problem lies in the dust storms that regularly sweep through the city of Kermanshah.
6. Peshawar, Pakistan: Fondly called as the City of Flowers, Peshawar is now not even close to its past glory. This is mainly attributed to the rising level of pollution. The city records for 219 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. In Peshawar, air pollution is a source of significant concern.
The main sources include industrial emissions, fumes from the brick kiln factories, extensive burning of solid waste, and vehicular emissions. Noise pollution is also a problem in this city, as it exceeds the normally permitted 85 decibels threshold. The noise is created from planes and trains with ineffective silencers.
It’s enormous expansion and influx of migratory workers has caused a boom in urban pollution. It is also a key city from where the U.S. launches many of its strategic campaigns in Afghanistan.
7. Gaborone, Botswana: A southern African nation, Gaborone is the capital and the biggest city in Botswana. It has three major sources of industrial pollution including a paint factory, a brewery, and a chemical plant. Waste-water, including employees’ sanitary waste, process wastes, and water from heating and air units are discharged into the environment through public sewer lines. The paint and chemical industries are thought to be a source of lead poisoning, which leaks into the soil. Additionally, the soil in Gaborone contains large amounts of heavy metals. The city records for 219 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
8. Yasuj, Iran: A city located in the mountains of southwestern Iran, Yasuj houses various coal-burning power plants and a sugar processing plant. These two factories release a significant amount of emissions into the air resulting in extensive air pollution.
However, in this city instead of looking for a way to decrease the air pollution, it is currently planning to open a refinery that will produce furnace oil, gas oil, asphalt, gasoline, kerosene, and liquefied gas. This will, without a doubt, only increase the number of residents suffering from respiratory illnesses including asthma, lung cancer, and lower respiratory infections. Recently, there has been an increase in cardiac problems in the city, which might be related to the poor air quality.
Yasuj records for 215 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
9. Kanpur, India: Located in northern India, Kanpur is famous for its leather industry. Although, the leather industry benefits the city’s economy and employs thousands, it is also a significant source of hazardous pollution that, environmentalists say, is gradually killing the city. The city records for 209 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter.
Kanpur is also home to the largest tanneries in India, which are also the primary source of the pollution throughout the city. Every day, the tanneries pump out around 30 crore litres of polluted water into the adjacent Ganges river. The rampant pollution has contaminated ground water sources. There are reports of increasing deformities among new born babies. Even farmers are complaining about their fields turning toxic.
10. Lahore, Pakistan: The second largest city in Pakistan, Lahore is the tenth most polluted cities in the world. Rapidly increasing industrialization and commercialization has turned this metropolis—once known as the City of Gardens—into one of the most polluted cities in the world.
Even residential localities are not safe from increasing trends of commercialization and industrialization because many industrial zones, which were established some years ago outside the city, are now situated right in middle of the City. Dr Anees Sultan, a Lahore-based family physician exclaimed, "The impact of pollution on health can be seen every day. More and more people are coming in with respiratory ailments, and many more children than before have breathing disorders or asthma," reports Irin news.
Various industries especially the steel-related ones releases pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulphur oxides and toxic metals that are considered as the major source of air pollution in the provincial capital without any control and check.
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