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Delhi Ranks 6th Most Polluted City in India, Ghaziabad and Noida Fare Worse
5 Nov
Summary
- Delhi's air quality index hit 291 on Nov 4, best in 7 years
- Dharuhera in Haryana ranked most polluted city in October
- 4 cities each from UP and Haryana among top 10 most polluted
According to a report released on November 5, 2025, Delhi was ranked the 6th most polluted city in India in October, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 107 µg/m³. This was a sharp rise from the city's September average of 36 µg/m³. Neighboring cities Ghaziabad and Noida fared even worse, ranking 3rd and 4th most polluted respectively.
The report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed a concerning trend across the Indo-Gangetic Plain, with several cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) dominating the list of India's most polluted areas. Dharuhera in Haryana was ranked the most polluted city last month, with a monthly average PM2.5 of 123 µg/m³.
Despite stubble burning contributing less than 6% to Delhi's pollution levels in October, the city's air quality remains a major concern. Analysts have emphasized the need for long-term, sector-specific emission reduction plans to tackle the year-round sources driving this crisis, rather than relying on reactive, seasonal measures.
