Delhi Ranks Sixth Among India’s Most Polluted Cities in October; Haryana's Dharuhera Tops List
In October, Delhi was the sixth most polluted city in India with an average PM2.5 level of 107 µg/m³, three times higher than in September. Dharuhera, Haryana, recorded the highest pollution with 123 µg/m³, exceeding national standards on 77% of days. The Indo-Gangetic Plain and NCR region faced severe air quality deterioration, mainly due to year-round emissions rather than stubble burning.
According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air’s monthly snapshot for October, Delhi ranked sixth among India's most polluted cities with an average PM2.5 concentration of 107 µg/m³. This figure marks a steep increase from September’s 36 µg/m³. Dharuhera in Haryana topped the list with a 123 µg/m³ average, exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) on 77% of days and experiencing several 'Severe' and 'Very Poor' air quality days. Other highly polluted cities included Rohtak, Ghaziabad, Noida, and Ballabgarh, with four cities each from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana making up the top ten, all within the National Capital Region. Despite stubble burning contributing less than 6% to Delhi’s pollution in October, the sharp rise in PM2.5 suggests that persistent, year-round emission sources are major contributors, emphasizing the need for long-term mitigation beyond seasonal measures like the Graded Response Action Plan. Meanwhile, Shillong in Meghalaya was the cleanest city with 10 µg/m³. Overall, out of 249 cities monitored, most recorded PM2.5 levels below India’s NAAQS limit of 60 µg/m³, but only six met the World Health Organization’s stricter daily guideline of 15 µg/m³. Air quality classifications worsened sharply compared to September, with a significant drop in cities categorized as having 'Good' air quality and increases across 'Satisfactory,' 'Moderate,' and 'Poor' categories, reflecting a nationwide decline especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and NCR region.
