{"id":133003,"date":"2026-11-13T16:04:37","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T10:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=133003"},"modified":"2026-11-13T16:05:27","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T10:35:27","slug":"top-100-polluted-cities-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/top-100-polluted-cities-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 100 Polluted Cities in the World 2026, Delhi AQI Rankings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Top 100 Polluted Cities in the World 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rankings highlight the growing air pollution crisis, particularly in India. According to <\/span><b>latest information as on 9 November 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India accounted for as many as <\/span><b>99 of the world&#8217;s 100 most polluted cities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in one morning snapshot, following Diwali celebrations. Cities in <\/span><b>Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recorded extremely high <\/span><b>Air Quality Index (AQI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> levels, raising serious concerns about public health, environmental protection and air pollution control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Top 10 Most Polluted Cities in the World<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>world&#8217;s most polluted cities in November 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were largely concentrated in northern India, where hazardous air quality was reported following Diwali and during the crop-residue burning season. According to <\/span><b>the latest information as on 9 November 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the top 10 cities were:<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"height: 590px; width: 92.9674%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><b>Rank<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>City<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><b>State\/Country<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><b>AQI<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Sri Ganganagar<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rajasthan, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">868<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Faridkot<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Punjab, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">842<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Bathinda<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Punjab, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">797<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Sirsa<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Haryana, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">612<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Bhiwani<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Haryana, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">548<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Budaun<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uttar Pradesh, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">489<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Hisar<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Haryana, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">485<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Amritsar<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Punjab, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">451<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Lahore<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pakistan<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">446<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 12.1784%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 30.789%;\">\n<p><b>Prayagraj<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 28.0446%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uttar Pradesh, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 27.9588%;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">440<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Northern India&#8217;s Dominance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Nine of the top 10 cities were located in India, mainly in <\/span><b>Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Highest Pollution Level:<\/b> <b>Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, recorded the highest AQI of <\/span><b>868<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, followed by <\/span><b>Faridkot (842)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Bathinda (797)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pakistan&#8217;s Position:<\/b> <b>Lahore<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was the only city outside India among the top 10, ranking ninth with an AQI of <\/span><b>446<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>New Delhi&#8217;s Ranking:<\/b> <b>New Delhi ranked 15th<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with an AQI of <\/span><b>380<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in this particular snapshot.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Which Country Has the Most Polluted Cities in the World?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>India accounted for the largest number of cities in the world&#8217;s most polluted cities rankings in November 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflecting severe air pollution across the country, particularly in northern states.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>India&#8217;s Global Dominance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Following Diwali in 2026, <\/span><b>99 of the world&#8217;s 100 most polluted cities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were reported to be in India, with <\/span><b>Lahore, Pakistan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, being the only city outside India in that ranking.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Changing Pollution Rankings:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Other rankings reported <\/span><b>93 Indian cities among the world&#8217;s 100 most polluted<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing that pollution levels vary with weather conditions and emissions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Most Affected States:<\/b> <b>Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recorded particularly high pollution levels due to vehicular emissions, industrial activities, crop burning and seasonal weather conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Seasonal Pollution:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Air pollution generally worsens during <\/span><b>October-January<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> because of lower temperatures, weak winds, temperature inversions and additional seasonal emissions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>India&#8217;s Position Among the World&#8217;s Most Polluted Cities<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India&#8217;s position in the <\/span><b>global air pollution rankings of 2026<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reflects worsening urban air quality, particularly following Diwali celebrations and during the winter season.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>High Global Representation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India accounted for approximately <\/span><b>93-99 cities among the world&#8217;s 100 most polluted locations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in different rankings during November 2026.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Punjab&#8217;s Pollution Crisis:<\/b> <b>Bathinda and Faridkot<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recorded some of the highest AQI levels, with readings exceeding <\/span><b>800<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in certain reports.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Delhi&#8217;s Air Pollution:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> New Delhi recorded extremely high AQI levels, reflecting the impact of <\/span><b>vehicular emissions, construction dust, industrial pollution and seasonal conditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pollution Beyond Northern India:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Cities such as <\/span><b>Bhopal, Pune, Patna, Rajkot and Bhubaneswar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also reported elevated pollution levels, indicating that the problem extends beyond Delhi-NCR.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>AQI Classification:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/central-pollution-control-board\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Central Pollution Control Board<\/b><\/a><b> (CPCB)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> classifies AQI from <\/span><b>0 to 500<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with <\/span><b>401-500 considered severe<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Some international monitoring platforms report values exceeding 500 and classify them as hazardous.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Causes of India\u2019s Rising Air Pollution in Cities<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Air pollution in Indian cities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> results from multiple human activities and seasonal factors. Major pollutants include <\/span><b>PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide (NO\u2082), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO\u2082) and ground-level ozone (O\u2083)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Vehicular Emissions:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Increasing numbers of <\/span><b>petrol and diesel vehicles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> release particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and other harmful pollutants, contributing significantly to urban air pollution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Industrial and Power Plant Emissions:<\/b> <b>Thermal power plants, factories, brick kilns and small-scale industries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> release smoke, particulate matter and harmful gases through fossil fuel combustion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Stubble Burning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The burning of <\/span><b>crop residues in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> contributes to seasonal pollution, particularly during the post-harvest period.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Construction and Road Dust:<\/b> <b>Construction activities, unpaved roads and dust raised by moving vehicles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> increase particulate matter concentrations in urban areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Firecrackers and Waste Burning:<\/b> <b>Diwali fireworks, open garbage burning and landfill fires<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can cause sharp increases in pollution levels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Household Fuel Burning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Burning <\/span><b>wood, coal, biomass and other solid fuels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for cooking and heating releases harmful particles and gases.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Unfavourable Winter Weather:<\/b> <b>Low wind speeds, temperature inversions and reduced atmospheric mixing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> trap pollutants near the ground, worsening air quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Diesel Generator Sets:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Diesel generators used for backup electricity contribute additional <\/span><b>particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Health and Environmental Impacts of Air Pollution<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Air pollution is a major public health and environmental concern<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, affecting human health, ecosystems, agricultural productivity and economic growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Respiratory Diseases:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Exposure to <\/span><b>PM2.5, PM10 and other pollutants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> increases the risk of asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory illnesses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cardiovascular Problems:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Long-term exposure can contribute to <\/span><b>heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly among vulnerable populations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Premature Deaths:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> According to the <\/span><b>State of Global Air Report 2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, air pollution was associated with <\/span><b>more than 2 million deaths annually in India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, highlighting its serious health burden.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Impact on Vulnerable Groups:<\/b> <b>Children, elderly people, pregnant women and individuals with existing illnesses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> face greater health risks from prolonged pollution exposure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Environmental Damage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Air pollutants contribute to <\/span><b>smog formation, acid deposition, reduced visibility and damage to natural ecosystems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Agricultural Losses:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ground-level ozone and other pollutants can damage <\/span><b>crops and vegetation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reducing agricultural productivity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Economic Losses:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> According to a <\/span><b>Clean Air Fund-supported economic analysis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India could have gained approximately <\/span><b>USD 95 billion in GDP in 2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if safe air quality levels had been achieved, through higher productivity and reduced health-related losses.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Global Initiatives to Reduce Air Pollution<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several <\/span><b>international organisations and global initiatives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are working to reduce air pollution through cleaner technologies, stricter emission standards, improved monitoring and international cooperation.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (2021):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/world-health-organisation\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>World Health Organization<\/b><\/a><b> (WHO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recommends an annual average <\/span><b>PM2.5 concentration of 5 \u00b5g\/m\u00b3<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce health risks from air pollution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/united-nations-environment-programme-unep\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>United Nations Environment Programme<\/b><\/a><b> (UNEP):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Supports countries in improving <\/span><b>air quality management, pollution monitoring and environmental policies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while promoting cleaner energy and sustainable development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Established in <\/span><b>2012<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this international partnership works to reduce <\/span><b>short-lived climate pollutants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons and ground-level ozone.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/sustainable-development-goals\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Sustainable Development Goals<\/b><\/a><b> (SDGs):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Under the <\/span><b>UN 2030 Agenda<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> include targets related to reducing the health and environmental impacts of air pollution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/paris-agreement\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Paris Agreement<\/b><\/a><b> (2015):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Encourages <\/span><b>clean energy transitions and lower greenhouse gas emissions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which can also help reduce harmful air pollutants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Observed annually on <\/span><b>7 September<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this UN initiative promotes public awareness and international cooperation to improve air quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Measures to Control Air Pollution in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Government of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has introduced several <\/span><b>programmes and regulatory measures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce <\/span><b>urban air pollution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, strengthen <\/span><b>monitoring systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and promote <\/span><b>cleaner technologies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/national-clean-air-programme\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>National Clean Air Programme<\/b><\/a><b> (NCAP):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Launched in <\/span><b>January 2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by the <\/span><b>Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to improve <\/span><b>air quality in Indian cities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its revised target is to achieve <\/span><b>up to a 40% reduction in PM10 concentrations by 2025-26<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, compared with the <\/span><b>2017-18 baseline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or meet <\/span><b>national standards<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>City-specific Clean Air Action Plans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> focus on reducing pollution from <\/span><b>vehicles, industries, road dust, construction and waste burning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/graded-response-action-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Graded Response Action Plan<\/b><\/a><b> (GRAP):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Implemented in <\/span><b>Delhi-NCR<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by the <\/span><b>Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to introduce restrictions based on <\/span><b>AQI levels and pollution forecasts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Measures include restrictions on <\/span><b>polluting vehicles, construction activities, industrial emissions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other pollution-generating activities during <\/span><b>severe pollution episodes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) Emission Standards:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Introduced nationwide in <\/span><b>April 2020<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce harmful pollutants from vehicles through <\/span><b>stricter fuel and emission standards<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Promotion of Electric Vehicles:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Government initiatives, including the <\/span><b>FAME-II scheme<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, have supported the adoption of <\/span><b>electric and hybrid vehicles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce dependence on petrol and diesel.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Control of Stubble Burning:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The government provides assistance for <\/span><b>crop-residue management machinery, custom hiring centres and paddy-straw processing plants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, helping farmers manage agricultural waste without burning it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Industrial Emission Control:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Measures include <\/span><b>stricter emission standards for thermal power plants and industries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>cleaner fuel requirements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for highly polluting industrial units.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improved Air Quality Monitoring:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> operates <\/span><b>air quality monitoring systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and publishes <\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/national-air-quality-index\/\" target=\"_blank\">AQI<\/a> bulletins<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to provide information about pollution levels and support timely action.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dust and Waste Management:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Measures include <\/span><b>mechanised road sweeping, dust suppression, anti-smog guns, construction-site inspections<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and improved <\/span><b>solid-waste management<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to reduce particulate pollution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Public Awareness and Participation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Initiatives such as the <\/span><b>SAMEER app, public complaint systems and awareness campaigns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> encourage citizens to report pollution and adopt cleaner practices.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthening Regional Coordination:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Greater cooperation among the <\/span><b>Central Government, State Governments, CPCB, CAQM and urban local bodies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is essential because air pollution often spreads <\/span><b>beyond city and state boundaries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Top 100 Polluted Cities in the World 2026 ranks Sri Ganganagar No. 1 with AQI 868 and Delhi 15th. AQI rankings, pollution causes, health risks and control measures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":132759,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[11474,11473,11472],"class_list":["post-133003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-general-studies","tag-100-polluted-cities","tag-top-100-polluted-cities","tag-top-100-polluted-cities-in-the-world","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133003"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":133011,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133003\/revisions\/133011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}