New Delhi: Post-Diwali celebrations, the Air Quality Index (AQI) has gone up for a toss in Delhi-NCR and many other parts of the country. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), on Friday evening (an average of 24 hours), the AQI in Delhi was 339 and remained in the ‘Very Poor’ category. The pollution in Delhi on Diwali is said to be the worst in the last two years.
It should be noted that Delhi does not currently top the list of the worst polluted Indian cities. According to a CPCB report, Ambala, Haryana, has topped the list with an AQI of 367.
Meanwhile, Greater Noida, Noida (both in Uttar Pradesh), and Faridabad (Haryana) from the NCR are in the ‘Poor’ category. In Greater Noida, the AQI is ‘258’; in Noida, it is 274; and in Faridabad, it is 202.
Worst polluted cities in India
| Rank | City | State | AQI Value | AQI Category | Prominent Pollutant |
| 1 | Ambala | Haryana | 367 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 2 | Amritsar | Punjab | 350 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 3 | Delhi | Delhi | 339 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 4 | Hajipur | Bihar | 332 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 5 | Khurja | Uttar Pradesh | 320 | Very Poor | PM10 |
| 6 | Moradabad | Uttar Pradesh | 320 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 7 | Bikaner | Rajasthan | 312 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 8 | Gurugram | Haryana | 309 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 9 | Ghaziabad | Uttar Pradesh | 306 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
| 10 | Kurukshetra | Haryana | 306 | Very Poor | PM10 |
| 11 | Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 306 | Very Poor | PM2.5, PM10 |
| 12 | Chandigarh | Chandigarh | 302 | Very Poor | PM2.5 |
While firecrackers are not the only factor behind so much pollution, factors like the onset of winter and cool, stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, road dust, and vehicular pollution also contribute to the dip in air quality.
Check complete list of cities here
Source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
What is an AQI?
In 2014, the central government launched the Air Quality Index (AQI) as part of the Swachh Bharat campaign to make understanding pollution easier for everyone. They formed a group of experts, including doctors, air quality specialists, academics, and advocacy groups. This group worked with IIT Kanpur on a technical study. IIT Kanpur and the expert group proposed a plan for the AQI.
