Dehradun air quality slips to ‘poor’ as AQI touches 294, PM2.5 dominant pollutant

While Delhi has long been synonymous with pollution spikes, Dehradun’s worsening air quality has raised concern among residents and environmental experts

Published on: Dec 18, 2025, 17:39:27 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

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Dehradun: The air quality in Dehradun deteriorated to the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday, placing the capital of Uttarakhand among the polluted cities in the country.

Dehradun recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 294. (Representative photo)

Dehradun recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 294, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) identified as the dominant pollutant, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) bulletin released at 4 pm on Wednesday.

The CPCB classifies air as ‘good’ when AQI is 50 or lower; ‘satisfactory’ between 51 and 100; ‘moderate’ between 101 and 200; ‘poor’ between 201 and 300; ‘very poor’ between 301 and 400; and ‘severe’ when it exceeds 400.

While Delhi has long been synonymous with pollution spikes, Dehradun’s worsening air quality has raised concern among residents and environmental experts.

“Dehradun generally doesn’t report such high AQI. But this spike is primarily due to a combination of factors like wind conditions, low temperature and vehicular emissions,” Dehradun regional officer of the State Pollution Control Board, Amit Pokhriyal, said.

“With tourism inflow and vehicular movement expected to rise further during the holiday season, air quality levels may remain poor in the coming days. Cold air, high humidity and calm winds trap pollutants close to the ground, creating dense smog and leading to a spike in AQI,” the official said.

Environmentalists have repeatedly flagged the need for stricter control on construction dust and traffic emissions in Dehradun, particularly during winter.

Dehradun-based social activist Anoop Nautiyal said, “An AQI near 300 is not just an environmental hazard; it is a clear social, economic and existential warning for Dehradun and its people. This moment marks a dangerous turning point that threatens the city’s health, livability and identity. The silence from the political establishment and the highest levels of the state bureaucracy is deeply deafening.”

“Solutions are possible and still within reach, but they require urgent leadership, urban planning, stronger public transport, protection of green spaces and strict enforcement of environmental norms. Dehradun must not go the Delhi way, and cosmetic assurances or denial will only deepen the crisis. With honesty and action, the cooperation of citizens, traders and communities can follow, but the initiative must start from the government,” Nautiyal, founder of the Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation, added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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