New Delhi: In the latest report, New Delhi has once again claimed the top spot as India’s most polluted city in the past year, followed by Patna and Muzaffarpur. The list of the top 10 polluted cities includes five NCR cities—Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, and Meerut—along with Bihar’s Patna and Muzaffarpur for the period from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023.
The comprehensive air pollution report, conducted by Respirer Reports, an initiative of Respirer Living Sciences, examines two sets of air quality data. The first set utilizes the government’s PM2.5 data for the past year, covering the period from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, to monitor improvements in air quality compared to the previous year in NCR and other cities listed in the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Additional Insights on Air Quality in Various Indian Cities:
1. Delhi experienced a 4% enhancement in air quality compared to the preceding year. However, Patna, securing the second position, witnessed a significant 24% decline in air quality.
2. Patna, ranked second with a PM2.5 concentration of 99.7 micrograms/cubic meter, saw a notable 24% deterioration in air quality over the previous year, while Muzaffarpur holds the third position.
3. The list also includes Nalbari in Assam, Asansol in West Bengal, and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Notably, Nalbari and Asansol have only one air quality monitor each, while Gwalior has three monitors recording the NCAP data.
4. Kolkata’s air quality deteriorated from 2019 to 2022, although it remains better than that of Delhi, Patna, and Lucknow. Bangalore and Mumbai exhibit better air quality on the AQ index. A recent report from the Clean Air Fund highlights Kolkata’s positive strides in air quality, attributed to the acquisition of 80 e-buses through a grant.
5. Karnataka dominates the top 10 list for places with the cleanest air in India, being the only state where multiple cities (5) have shown improvements in air quality. Mandikhera in Haryana and various locations in Karnataka boast cleaner air compared to the previous year, indicating a significant improvement in air quality.
6. Raichur and Gadgil stand out for their remarkable improvement.
7. Aizawl, Mizoram, is noted for having the cleanest air, although there has been a decline in air quality since September 2022.