New Delhi: Post-Diwali celebrations, the Air Quality Index (AQI) has gone up for a toss in Delhi-NCR and many other parts of the country. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), on Friday evening (an average of 24 hours), the AQI in Delhi was 339 and remained in the ‘Very Poor’ category. The pollution in Delhi on Diwali is said to be the worst in the last two years.
It should be noted that Delhi does not currently top the list of the worst polluted Indian cities. According to a CPCB report, Ambala, Haryana, has topped the list with an AQI of 367.
Meanwhile, Greater Noida, Noida (both in Uttar Pradesh), and Faridabad (Haryana) from the NCR are in the ‘Poor’ category. In Greater Noida, the AQI is ‘258’; in Noida, it is 274; and in Faridabad, it is 202.
Worst polluted cities in India
Rank
City
State
AQI Value
AQI Category
Prominent Pollutant
1
Ambala
Haryana
367
Very Poor
PM2.5
2
Amritsar
Punjab
350
Very Poor
PM2.5
3
Delhi
Delhi
339
Very Poor
PM2.5
4
Hajipur
Bihar
332
Very Poor
PM2.5
5
Khurja
Uttar Pradesh
320
Very Poor
PM10
6
Moradabad
Uttar Pradesh
320
Very Poor
PM2.5
7
Bikaner
Rajasthan
312
Very Poor
PM2.5
8
Gurugram
Haryana
309
Very Poor
PM2.5
9
Ghaziabad
Uttar Pradesh
306
Very Poor
PM2.5
10
Kurukshetra
Haryana
306
Very Poor
PM10
11
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
306
Very Poor
PM2.5, PM10
12
Chandigarh
Chandigarh
302
Very Poor
PM2.5
While firecrackers are not the only factor behind so much pollution, factors like the onset of winter and cool, stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, road dust, and vehicular pollution also contribute to the dip in air quality.
Check complete list of cities here
Source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
What is an AQI?
In 2014, the central government launched the Air Quality Index (AQI) as part of the Swachh Bharat campaign to make understanding pollution easier for everyone. They formed a group of experts, including doctors, air quality specialists, academics, and advocacy groups. This group worked with IIT Kanpur on a technical study. IIT Kanpur and the expert group proposed a plan for the AQI.
Many cities in India have witnessed a bad AQI and are in the ‘Very Poor’ category. Ambala is the city that tops the list of the worst polluted Indian cities right now, followed by Amritsar and Delhi. Read on to check the top 12 worst polluted Indian cities right now. The Air Quality Index data is from November 1, 2024, until 4 pm (the average of the past 24 hours). knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
