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India's Air Program Misses Most Polluted Cities
9 Jan
Summary
- Air pollution control program reaches only a fraction of cities.
- Byrnihat, Meghalaya, is India's most polluted city by PM2.5.
- Nearly 44% of Indian cities are in chronic non-attainment category.
India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is reaching only a small fraction of the cities most affected by air pollution. A new analysis reveals that Byrnihat in Meghalaya is the most polluted city, with 190 cities exceeding PM10 and 103 exceeding PM2.5 safe limits. This situation means nearly 44% of Indian cities are in a chronic non-attainment category.
The Tracing the Hazy Air 2026 assessment by CREA found significant regional disparities, with Uttar Pradesh having the highest number of non-attainment cities. Crucially, only about 4% of these chronically polluted cities are covered by the NCAP, which began in 2019. This limited scope means the program addresses only a minor part of the country's air pollution burden.
Even within the 130 cities covered by NCAP, progress is uneven, with some cities showing increased pollution levels. Despite substantial funding released, less than one percent of spent funds have targeted industries and domestic fuel use, key emission sources. Experts advocate for strengthening air quality governance with targeted, science-based reforms to effectively combat the structural air pollution problem.
