The air quality in India is very poor. The country has many cities that have recorded high levels of air pollution. Most of these cities are located in North India and the reason for this is due to the rapid growth of population and increase in industrialization.
There are many cities in India where pollution is a big issue especially in winters air pollution gets worse. People tend to stay at home when air quality is poor and even inside the home they need an air purifier to breathe normally. Most of the world’s most polluted cities are in India based on the presence of particulate matter. As per the reports of WHO, around 7 million people are killed in a year across the world due to air pollution. For example, air pollution may cause many health issues such as lung disease, respiratory infection, cancer, pneumonia, and insomnia. 21 out of the 31 most polluted cities in the world in 2023 were from India top 10 polluted cities in india.
Top ten polluted cities in India
1. Ghaziabad
2. Delhi
3. Gurugram
4. Lucknow
5. Jind
6. Muzaffarnagar
7. Patna
8. Dhanbad, Jharkhand
9. Varanasi
10. Kanpur
1) Ghaziabad
Ghaziabad is a part of the National Capital Region (NCR) and is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. As of now, it is counted among the most polluted cities in the country. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the main reasons for the rising pollution in Ghaziabad are traffic congestion and dust. Besides this, the following reasons are also increasing pollution in the city:
Depletion of forest cover
Emission from diesel-based generators in societies
Industrial pollution and burning of crops
Open burning of waste or garbage
Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation keeps taking various measures to reduce this pollution such as water sprinkling, mechanized sweeping, etc. However, these steps cannot be effective unless strict laws are made against those who pollute our environment.
2) Delhi
The National Capital Region, which includes Delhi and adjoining areas, is one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. The capital city of India, Delhi has been ranked as one of the most polluted cities in terms of PM 2.5 concentration by WHO (World Health Organization) in 2014.
Delhi which is at rank 7th in terms of PM 2.5 concentration in India had a PM 2.5 concentration of 153 µg/m3 on an average during 2014.
The main causes behind this high pollution level are listed below:
The smoke produced from burning the crop residues in the neighbouring states of Delhi like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh is found to be one of the main causes of air pollution in Delhi. The wind carries the pollutants from the fields to Delhi where it gets locked in the air and thereby also reduces visibility.
3) Gurugram
Gurugram (formerly known as Gurugram) is a city in the Indian state of Haryana and one of the fastest growing cities in India. It is also a part of the National Capital Region (NCR).
The National Capital Region (NCR) is an urban area in India that includes the national capital New Delhi, along with several metropolitan cities, towns and villages which surround it. The NCR has a population of 21 million people according to 2011 census data. The NCR has been expanding at a rate of 5-6% annually since 2001 and its population increased from 16.9 million in 2001 to 22 million in 2011. It is estimated that by 2030 around 36 million people may be living in this region.
4) Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Gomti River at an altitude of 123 metres from the sea level. It is famous for its arts, culture, music, cuisines, and Chikan embroidery. As per reports published by WHO (World Health Organization) in 2019, Lucknow was ranked as 9th most polluted city in the world with air quality index (AQI) of 176.
As per the reports published by WHO (World Health Organization), there are many reasons behind air pollution in Lucknow such as:
Depletion of forest cover to build malls and highways, etc., has increased the proportion of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Emission from vehicles and industrial activities has increased the levels of dust, and harmful gases in the air like CO2, CO , NO , etc.
Burning of wood as a fuel also adds unnecessary smoke in the air.
Burning of garbage also produces unwanted gases that deteriorate the air quality.
5) Jind
Jind is a city in the state of Haryana. It is also one of the most polluted cities in India. According to a report prepared with the support of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Jind was the 20th most polluted city in the world. However, other cities of Haryana also found to have poor air quality. These cities include Hisar, Sirsa, Karnal, Ballabgarh, Panipat, etc.
6) Muzaffarnagar
Vehicle Emissions: Vehicle emissions are one of the major sources of air pollution in Muzaffarnagar. It is located on the NH 58, Delhi-Haridwar National Highway at an altitude of 272 metres above the sea level. It is known for sugar and jaggery production and is a hub for jaggery trading business. More than 40% of the population of the city is dependent on agriculture. Some of the major reasons for pollution in Muzaffarnagar:
It is located on the highway that remains occupied with moving vehicles. The emission from vehicles pollutes the air.
The smoke produced by burning crops in the nearby agricultural fields also raises the pollution level.
The emission from industries is also responsible for polluting the air.
Burning of coal or woods in winter also produces smoke that gets locked in the air as the movement of air is very slow in winters.
Dust produced in construction sites also increases the level of air pollution in the city.
7) Patna
The city of Patna is one of the most polluted cities in India. The pollution in this city has been rising year after year due to various reasons. The city is located on the southern bank of the sacred river Ganges at an altitude of 53 metres from the sea level. The total geographical area of Patna is around 250 sq. km. and its total population as of 2020 is around 2.5 million. Like the above-mentioned cities, Patna is also counted among the most polluted cities of the world.
Some of the major reasons of pollution in Patna are shortlisted below:
The emission from vehicles and the road dust that enter the air due to the movement of vehicles
The smoke and unburnt particles produced due to domestic fuel burning for cooking or in winters to withstand the cold
The smoke produced from open waste burning
The dust produced from construction activities and emission from industries
8) Dhanbad, Jharkhand
The city of Dhanbad is a hub of coal mining activities. It is also known as the ‘Coal Capital of India’ as one of the largest coal mines in India is found here. It is surrounded by over 100 coal mines and it produces around 10 million tonnes of coal per year. The major reasons of pollution in Dhanbad are listed below:
Coal mining and industrial activities on a large scale has deteriorated the air and water quality in the city that has affected the health of the residents
Emission from vehicles and burning of biomass release harmful gases into the air
Dust produced due to the demolition and construction activities is a common thing here like other polluted cities
Using coal as a fuel in the roadside food outlets and dhabas produces a lot of smoke and unburnt particles
9) Varanasi
Varanasi is also known as Banaras or Kashi. It is a famous city of Uttar Pradesh located on the banks of sacred river Ganges. The city also has emerged as an industrial hub in the last few years and is famous for its perfumes, ivory works, muslin and silk fabrics, etc. Besides so many achievements, the city is also counted among the most polluted cities in India.
The major reasons for pollution in Varanasi are as follows:
Civil Construction is going on in Varanasi on a large scale, e.g., roads are dug up, drains are being constructed, etc. All this keeps adding smoke and dust into the air
Emission from the traffic and industries release harmful gases and other pollutants into the air
10) Kanpur
The air quality in the city is deteriorating day by day. This is causing a major health issue not only for the residents of Kanpur but also for people living in other cities. Many people are suffering from lung infections, asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases due to the poor quality of air.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that around one million premature deaths occur annually due to outdoor air pollution. It is also estimated that around 4.2 million deaths occur annually due to indoor air pollution. The WHO has declared that India has become the world’s sixth most polluted country with an estimated 2 million deaths in 2017 due to air pollution.
