Air Quality Crisis: Ghaziabad Leads List of India’s Most Polluted Cities

Ghaziabad recorded the worst air quality in the country in November, emerging as India’s most polluted city. The city logged an alarming monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 micrograms per cubic metre, with pollution levels remaining above national safety standards on all 30 days of the month, a new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed.

NCR Cities Dominate the Top 10

Several cities from the National Capital Region featured among the 10 most polluted in India. Noida, Bahadurgarh, Delhi, Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat, Meerut and Rohtak joined Ghaziabad on the list. Uttar Pradesh accounted for six of these cities, followed by Haryana with three, while Delhi figured once.

Delhi’s Air Gets Sharply Worse

Delhi ranked as the fourth most polluted city in November, with an average PM2.5 level of 215 micrograms per cubic metre — nearly double its October average of 107. The capital experienced 23 “very poor” air days, six “severe” days and only one “poor” day, underlining the intensity of the pollution spike.

Lower Stubble Burning, Higher Pollution

This year, stubble burning had a smaller impact on Delhi’s air. It contributed an average of 7 per cent to pollution in November, down from 20 per cent last year. Even at peak levels, its contribution reached 22 per cent, compared to 38 per cent a year ago. Despite this reduction, overall pollution worsened, pointing to deeper, year-round causes.

No Safe Breathing Days for Most Cities

Except for Bahadurgarh, none of the top 10 polluted cities recorded a single day within the safe daily limits set under national air quality standards. Several other cities, including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr, Karnal, Jind and Yamunanagar, reported PM2.5 levels above the permissible limit every day.

Experts Flag Year-Round Pollution Sources

Experts say the data clearly shows that stubble burning is no longer the main driver. “Despite lower stubble-burning influence, 20 out of 29 NCR cities recorded higher pollution levels than last year,” said Manoj Kumar, Analyst at CREA. He added that emissions from transport, industry, power plants and other combustion sources are pushing cities beyond safe limits.

State-Level Picture Remains Grim

Rajasthan reported the highest number of polluted cities, with 23 out of 34 exceeding national standards in November. Haryana followed with 22 of its 25 cities crossing the limit, while Uttar Pradesh had 14 of 20 cities above the standard. High pollution levels were also recorded in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab.

Clean Cities Offer a Contrast

Amid widespread pollution, Shillong emerged as India’s cleanest city in November, with an average PM2.5 level of just 7 micrograms per cubic metre. The list of the 10 cleanest cities included six from Karnataka and one each from Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, offering a sharp contrast to northern India’s air crisis.