Gurugram, Faridabad among most polluted cities as thick smog persists

Gurugram and Faridabad figured among the most polluted cities on Tuesday, with air quality in both Haryana cities remaining in the "hazardous" and "severe" categories, respectively, according to live air quality trackers.

Thick smog enveloped the twin cities on Monday and persisted through Tuesday, worsening during the early morning and evening hours.

According to aqi.in's live ranking of cities across the world, updated at 3.51 pm, Faridabad ranked sixth with a US AQI of 321, placing it in the "hazardous" category. Its PM2.5 level stood at 233 µg/m³, while PM10 was recorded at 293 µg/m³.

Gurugram ranked ninth with an AQI of 287, falling in the "severe" category, with PM2.5 at 208 µg/m³ and PM10 at 269 µg/m³.

Rohtak, which ranked eighth with an AQI of 295, was the only other Haryana city in the top 10. The remaining positions were dominated by towns in Uttar Pradesh and cities in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Muzaffarnagar was the most polluted city, with an AQI of 354, followed by Greater Noida (341) and Bulandshahr (339). Noida ranked fourth with 327, while New Delhi stood fifth at 324. Ghaziabad ranked seventh at 316, and Hapur completed the top 10 with an AQI of 285.

While aqi.in compares cities across the world, IQAir's live ranking of major Indian cities painted a similar picture. Between 4 pm and 5 pm, IQAir ranked Gurugram as the most polluted city in the country, with a US AQI of 240, followed by Faridabad at 212.

Delhi and New Delhi followed at 194 each, with Noida next at 193. Four of the six most polluted cities on IQAir's list were in the NCR.

Meanwhile, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) does not publish a consolidated city ranking, but its monitoring stations in Gurugram also recorded poor air quality.

Real-time data sourced from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and updated at 5 pm showed that Teri Gram recorded an AQI of 334, placing it in the "very poor" category, with PM10 as the prominent pollutant.

Sector 51 recorded an AQI of 295, while Vikas Sadan registered 256. Both were in the "poor" category, with PM10 and PM2.5, respectively, identified as the prominent pollutants.

Haryana had recently announced an ambitious winter anti-pollution action plan, which includes restrictions on the entry of non-BS6 vehicles. However, the measures do not appear to have made much difference to air quality in the NCR's twin cities of Gurugram and Faridabad.

Fine particulate matter such as PM2.5 can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This is why health experts advise people to limit outdoor activities when the AQI reaches such high levels.

With Diwali approaching, firecracker smoke, vehicular emissions and construction dust are likely to add to the pollution burden across Gurugram, Faridabad and the rest of the NCR.

Residents are advised to check the AQI before stepping outdoors, avoid strenuous outdoor exercise and wear well-fitted N95 masks. These precautions are particularly important for children, the elderly and people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or heart disease.