Top 10 most polluted cities in India: Delhi on top, northern cities battling haze fill list

The air quality in India's national capital region of Delhi-NCR continued to deteriorate on November 3, as lower temperatures and ongoing farm fires filled the air with dust and smoke. Haze is blanketing the skyline and a number of residents reported finding it hard to breathe.

AQI breached the ‘400’ danger mark on a scale of 500 in several locations in Delhi for the seventh consecutive day, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) Delhi's AQI level stands at 346 with prominent pollutants being PM 2.5 and PM 10.

Also Read: Delhi-NCR air quality ‘severe’ to breathe as smog envelops region | Photos, videos

So, what about the other cities in India? We take a look at the top 10 with the worst air pollution levels in the country.

Top 10 Indian cities with worst air pollution levels:

AQI levels from 401-500 are termed as 'hazardous', while levels between 301-400 are 'severe', and between 201-300 are 'unhealthy'.

Pan-India, the AQI level is 'poor' recording 151, as per AQI.in. It further states that the current PM2.5 concentration in India is 6.3 times above the recommended limit given by the WHO 24-hour air quality guidelines value.

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According to data around 11.15 a.m. on the AQI.in website, New Delhi topped the list with an air quality index (AQI) number of 411.

It was followed by Faridabad, which clocked AQI level of 354; Ghaziabad with 344; Hisar with 342; and Gurgaon with 311 - rounding up the top 5.

Noida with an AQI level of 301 was sixth, followed by Rohtak (292), Sonipat (260), Bhiwani (253), and Meerut (220). Notably, the top 10 cities are all within the three north Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and New Delhi.

And though it is not in the top 10, Mumbai has not fared very well either. AQI in the financial capital was recorded at 150, which is ‘poor’.