15 of 24 Haryana cities among 100 most polluted in India: Analysis

Fifteen out of 24 cities in Haryana ranked among India's 100 most polluted cities based on PM2.5 levels in the first half of 2024, according to a new analysis. According to India's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), safe limits for PM2.5 and PM10 annual levels are 40 micrograms per cubic metre and 60 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively.

However, these limits are much higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2021 guidelines, which recommend 5 micrograms per cubic metre for PM2.5 and 15 micrograms per cubic metre for PM10. Air quality data from January to June showed that every city in Haryana exceeded both NAAQS and WHO PM10 standards. Faridabad was the most polluted city in Haryana, with an average PM2.5 level of 103 micrograms per cubic metre, far above NAAQS and WHO guidelines.

Only three cities – Palwal, Ambala, and Mandikhera – managed to keep PM2.5 levels below the NAAQS limits. Gurugram had the highest PM10 concentration at 227 micrograms per cubic metre while Ambala recorded the lowest at 79 micrograms per cubic metre. "All 24 cities in Haryana overshot the WHO standards for particulate matter in the first half of the year.

Although some cities have not yet surpassed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards due to their more lenient thresholds, this disparity highlights that current national standards may be insufficient for protecting public health. A revision is needed to align more closely with international recommendations," said Manoj Kumar, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).