Study highlights year-long spectre of pollution in Gurugram

The district’s annual PM2.5 average stood at 81.27 micrograms per cubic metre based on Central Pollution Control Board data assessed by Crea between March 2024 and February 2025, far above the national safe limit of 40 micrograms per cubic metre.

The district’s air remained polluted round the year except during the monsoon months, with annual PM2.5 levels more than double the National Ambient Air Quality Standard, according to a latest satellite and ground-based assessment by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea). The district’s annual PM2.5 average stood at 81.27 micrograms per cubic metre based on Central Pollution Control Board data assessed by Crea between March 2024 and February 2025, far above the national safe limit of 40 micrograms per cubic metre.

A thick layer of haze engulfed the MG road in Gurugram on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Crea’s analysis found that PM2.5 levels dipped close to the national threshold only during the June to September monsoon period when concentrations averaged 44 micrograms per cubic metre. With the end of monsoon, air quality deteriorated sharply in the post monsoon months of October and November, when PM2.5 rose to 119 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly three times the safe limit. “PM2.5 during winter at 95 micrograms per cubic metre and summer at 79 micrograms per cubic metre months never remained in good levels. Once monsoon recedes, the buildup of pollutants in the air continues to remain high in the coming seasons,” said Dr Manoj Kumar, analyst at Crea.

Using an emission learning model, Kumar said annual average PM2.5 levels in Gurugram at 81.27 micrograms per cubic metre, Faridabad at 80.66, Jhajjar at 76.96, Sonipat at 69.93, Charkhi Dadri at 66.65, Rohtak at 66.03 and Rewari at 64.98 were the highest in Haryana and placed these districts among the fifty most polluted in India. Post monsoon spikes were most severe in Charkhi Dadri at 101 micrograms per cubic metre, Jhajjar at 127, Gurugram at 119, Rohtak at 109 and Sonipat at 120, with fine particulate levels rising between 57 and 84 points in October and November due to stubble burning and Diwali fireworks, experts said.

Highlighting the health risks, Dr Bharat Gopal, senior director and head of Interventional Pulmonology at Medanta Medicity, said, “Prolonged exposure also accelerates atherosclerosis, elevating the likelihood of heart attacks, stroke, hypertension, worsening of diabetes and certain malignancies particularly lung cancer. Additionally, it can weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections.”

Nirmal Kashyap, senior environment engineer at Haryana State Pollution Control Board, said pollution control planning is based on an Indo Gangetic Plain airshed approach as pollution moves across boundaries. He said loose alluvial soil in the region increases airborne dust during summer, and long term policies target emissions annually. “Around 1100 additional industrial units have been notified to install mandatory emission monitoring devices by December 31,” he said.

Gurugram’s AQI slipped to the very poor category at 303 on Tuesday. The district ranked 13th among 749 cities in Crea’s pollution list, with Faridabad and Jhajjar at 16 and 17.At 8pm on Tuesday, PM2.5 levels recorded at the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) stations in Gwal Pahari (300), Sector 51 (334), Vikas Sadan (183) and Teri Gram (Missing data) were at least 12.2 times higher than the prescribed 24-hour safe limit of 15 by the World Health Organisation.“Without strict enforcement of airshed based governance frameworks, satellite monitoring integration into NCAP, sectoral emission targets and accountability mechanisms, millions in non metropolitan India will remain locked out of clean air policy and locked into chronic pollution exposure,” Kumar added.