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Patna And Allahabad More Polluted Than Delhi, Shows WHO Report

Delhi Is Not The Most Polluted City In The World Anymore, Shows WHO Report
A participant wears a mask as he runs past the India Gate memorial during Delhi Half Marathon in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015.The tens of thousands of people who participated in Sundayâs half marathon in Indiaâs capital had more than just running 21 kilometers (13 miles) through New Delhiâs streets on a misty, chilly morning to deal with. They also had to overcome the cityâs unparalleled air pollution. (AP Photo /Tsering Topgyal)
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A participant wears a mask as he runs past the India Gate memorial during Delhi Half Marathon in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015.The tens of thousands of people who participated in Sundayâs half marathon in Indiaâs capital had more than just running 21 kilometers (13 miles) through New Delhiâs streets on a misty, chilly morning to deal with. They also had to overcome the cityâs unparalleled air pollution. (AP Photo /Tsering Topgyal)

In a somewhat good news for Delhi, the World Health Organisation in its report has said that it is no longer the most polluted city in the world.

The WHO's urban air quality database released on Thursday now ranks Delhi 11th among 3,000 cities in 103 countries in terms of PM 2.5 (fine, particulate pollution) and 25th in terms of PM 10 (coarse pollution particles) levels.

In 2014, Delhi was ranked the most polluted city.

Based on readings of fine particulate matter in the air or PM 2.5, Zabol in Iran is now the most polluted city in the world, reports Times Of India.

Out of 20 most polluted cities, 10 are in India. Gwalior, Allahabad, Patna and Raipur are more polluted than Delhi, shows the report.

Delhi’s annual average of PM 2.5 readings are 12 times the WHO safe standard, and more than three times India’s standard.

"We have seen that Delhi has managed to arrest the declining air quality trend in 2015," Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told Times Of India.

"Air policy action has started kicking in - with an environment compensation charge on on trucks, action against other sources. We are responding to action but the levels are still very high in the city, it only shows that action has to be sustained to meet clean targets," she said.

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