This city was ranked the most polluted in November. It's not New Delhi
Ghaziabad registered a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 micrograms per cubic metre in November.
While Delhi often grabs headlines for its poor air quality, a study of air quality levels in November has shown Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region to be the most polluted city in India.
Ghaziabad registered a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 micrograms per cubic metre, exceeding national air quality standards on all 30 days of the month, a report by think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said.
Other cities in the top 10 most polluted list included Noida, Bahadurgarh, Delhi, Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat, Meerut and Rohtak. Uttar Pradesh accounted for six of these cities, Haryana for three, and Delhi for one.
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Most cities in the top 10, except Delhi, recorded higher PM2.5 levels than the previous year. Delhi ranked fourth with a monthly average of 215 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly double its October average of 107. The capital experienced 23 “very poor” days, six “severe” days and one “poor” day.
Reportedly, stubble burning contributed less to Delhi’s pollution this year, averaging 7 per cent in November compared to 20 per cent last year. The peak contribution reached 22 per cent, well below last year’s 38 per cent, CREA said.
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Bahadurgarh was the only city among the top 10 to record even a single day within the national air quality limits. Several other cities, including Charkhi Dadri, Bulandshahr, Jind, Muzaffarnagar, Gurgaon, Khurja, Bhiwani, Karnal, Yamunanagar and Faridabad, reported PM2.5 levels above safe limits every day.
"Despite a significant reduction in stubble-burning influence, 20 out of 29 NCR cities recorded higher pollution levels than the previous year and many still did not register a single day within NAAQS limits. This clearly indicates that the dominant drivers are year-round sources such as transport, industry, power plants and other combustion sources. Without sector-specific emission cuts, cities will continue to breach standards," said Manoj Kumar, Analyst at CREA.
At the state level, Rajasthan had the highest number of polluted cities, with 23 of 34 exceeding national limits in November. Haryana followed with 22 of 25, and Uttar Pradesh had 14 of 20 cities above the standard. High pollution levels were also reported in nine of 12 cities in Madhya Pradesh, nine of 14 in Odisha, and seven of eight in Punjab.
Shillong in Meghalaya was the cleanest city, with a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of just 7 micrograms per cubic metre.
With PTI inputs
