New Delhi, March 11 -- A global air quality report, 'The World Air Quality Report 2024,' by Swiss firm IQAir, was released Tuesday. It ranked Byrnihat, a town on the Assam-Meghalaya border, as the world's most polluted city, with an alarming PM 2.5 level of 128 micrograms per cubic meter.

Meanwhile, Delhi was ranked the most polluted capital, and India ranked the world's fifth most polluted nation.

The report also revealed that 13 Indian cities are among the world's 20 most polluted cities, with Meghalaya's Byrnihat topping the list.

Byrnihat's extreme pollution levels stem from heavy industrial activities, including distilleries and iron and steel plants.

These industries release massive amounts of toxic gases into the air, deteriora...