Lok Sabha Question No. 3525 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-20
Subject: Worst Polluted Cities
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan, Ajay Nishad, Gopal Chinayya Shetty

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3525

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2021

## Worst Polluted Cities

## 3525.   SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN: SHRI GOPAL CHINNAYA SHETTY: SHRI AJAY NISHAD:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  names  of  the  most  polluted  cities  in  India  as  per  their  ranking  along  with  their rankings in the most polluted cities of the world;
- (b) the present level of pollution in each city; and
- (c) the  city-wise  amount  of  funds  released  for  different  cities  of  the  country  under National Clean Air programme including Mumbai and Delhi?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c)

Ranking of cities based on air quality is not done due to complexity of various parameters and their influence on the air quality of individual cities. However, based on the air  quality  124  cities  are  identified  as  Non-Attainment  Cities  (NACs)  i.e.  those  cities exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards, consecutively for five years.

The analysis of ambient air quality data of 132 cities indicates that the annual average PM10  concentration  in  96  cities  showed  a  decreasing  trend  and  in  36  cities  showed  an increasing trend in 2020-2021 as compared to 2019-2020. 18 cities were found to be within the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standard (PM10 less than 60 µg/m3) in 2019-20 which has increased to 27 in year 2020-21. In the year 2020, in Delhi, the number of 'Good', 'Satisfactory' and 'Moderate' days increased to 227 against 108 in 2016. Detailed city wise data is enclosed at Annexure - I .

***

## Comparison for Air Quality Improvement in reference to Baseline 2019-20 and achieved in 2020-21

| Table 1: 42 Million Plus Cities/ Urban Agglomeration identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 1: 42 Million Plus Cities/ Urban Agglomeration identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 1: 42 Million Plus Cities/ Urban Agglomeration identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 1: 42 Million Plus Cities/ Urban Agglomeration identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                              | PM 10 Concentration (µg/m 3 ) - Annual Average                                                                               | PM 10 Concentration (µg/m 3 ) - Annual Average                                                                               |
| S. No.                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                              | 2019-20                                                                                                                      | 2020-21                                                                                                                      |
| 1                                                                                                                            | Chennai                                                                                                                      | 56                                                                                                                           | 55                                                                                                                           |
| 2                                                                                                                            | Trichy*                                                                                                                      | 60                                                                                                                           | 43 ^                                                                                                                         |
| 3                                                                                                                            | Raipur*                                                                                                                      | 61 ^                                                                                                                         | 50                                                                                                                           |
| 4                                                                                                                            | Nashik                                                                                                                       | 63                                                                                                                           | 56                                                                                                                           |
| 5                                                                                                                            | Vijayawada                                                                                                                   | 63                                                                                                                           | 56                                                                                                                           |
| 6                                                                                                                            | Madurai*                                                                                                                     | 68                                                                                                                           | 58 ^                                                                                                                         |
| 7                                                                                                                            | Bengaluru                                                                                                                    | 71                                                                                                                           | 59                                                                                                                           |
| 8                                                                                                                            | Durg Bhilainagar*                                                                                                            | 73 ^                                                                                                                         | 59                                                                                                                           |
| 9                                                                                                                            | Aurangabad                                                                                                                   | 76                                                                                                                           | 64                                                                                                                           |
| 10                                                                                                                           | Nagpur                                                                                                                       | 78                                                                                                                           | 66                                                                                                                           |
| 11                                                                                                                           | Pune                                                                                                                         | 79                                                                                                                           | 64                                                                                                                           |
| 12                                                                                                                           | Hyderabad                                                                                                                    | 86                                                                                                                           | 88                                                                                                                           |
| 13                                                                                                                           | Indore                                                                                                                       | 86                                                                                                                           | 92                                                                                                                           |
| 14                                                                                                                           | Visakhapatnam                                                                                                                | 93                                                                                                                           | 96                                                                                                                           |
| 15                                                                                                                           | Kolkata                                                                                                                      | 96                                                                                                                           | 95                                                                                                                           |
| 16                                                                                                                           | Jabalpur                                                                                                                     | 98                                                                                                                           | 100                                                                                                                          |
| 17                                                                                                                           | Kota                                                                                                                         | 100                                                                                                                          | 96                                                                                                                           |
| 18                                                                                                                           | Amritsar                                                                                                                     | 102                                                                                                                          | 106                                                                                                                          |
| 19                                                                                                                           | Mumbai                                                                                                                       | 103                                                                                                                          | 96                                                                                                                           |
| 20                                                                                                                           | Vadodara*                                                                                                                    | 107 ^                                                                                                                        | 96                                                                                                                           |
| 21                                                                                                                           | Surat*                                                                                                                       | 107 ^                                                                                                                        | 96                                                                                                                           |
| 22                                                                                                                           | Ranchi*                                                                                                                      | 109 ^                                                                                                                        | 105                                                                                                                          |
| 23                                                                                                                           | Ludhiana                                                                                                                     | 111                                                                                                                          | 121                                                                                                                          |
| 24                                                                                                                           | Ahmedabad                                                                                                                    | 113                                                                                                                          | 116                                                                                                                          |
| 25                                                                                                                           | Rajkot*                                                                                                                      | 114 ^                                                                                                                        | 95                                                                                                                           |
| 26                                                                                                                           | Vasai virar #                                                                                                                | 119 ^                                                                                                                        | 85 ^                                                                                                                         |
| 27                                                                                                                           | Asansol                                                                                                                      | 120                                                                                                                          | 107                                                                                                                          |

## Table 1:

## 42 Million Plus Cities/ Urban Agglomeration identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality

| S. No.   | Cities     | PM 10 Concentration (µg/m 3 ) - Annual Average   | PM 10 Concentration (µg/m 3 ) - Annual Average   |
|----------|------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | Cities     | 2019-20                                          | 2020-21                                          |
| 28       | Jaipur     | 122                                              | 109                                              |
| 29       | Gwalior    | 135                                              | 120                                              |
| 30       | Jamshedpur | 138                                              | 102                                              |
| 31       | Bhopal     | 138                                              | 109                                              |
| 32       | Agra       | 152                                              | 158                                              |
| 33       | Jodhpur    | 159                                              | 148                                              |
| 34       | Patna      | 161                                              | 137                                              |
| 35       | Varanasi*  | 171 ^                                            | 137                                              |
| 36       | Kanpur     | 196                                              | 158                                              |
| 37       | Meerut     | 206                                              | 194                                              |
| 38       | Dhanbad    | 212                                              | 197                                              |
| 39       | Ghaziabad  | 213                                              | 212                                              |
| 40       | Lucknow    | 215                                              | 198                                              |
| 41       | Allahabad  | 226                                              | 174                                              |
| 42       | Faridabad  | 217                                              | 216                                              |

| Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                | City/ Town                                                                                                            | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         |
| 1                                                                                                                     | Gorakhpur                                                                                                             | 280                                                                                                                   | 167                                                                                                                   |
| 2                                                                                                                     | Moradabad                                                                                                             | 247                                                                                                                   | 202                                                                                                                   |
| 3                                                                                                                     | Khurja                                                                                                                | 236                                                                                                                   | 175                                                                                                                   |
| 4                                                                                                                     | Gajraula                                                                                                              | 211                                                                                                                   | 152                                                                                                                   |
| 5                                                                                                                     | Firozabad                                                                                                             | 205                                                                                                                   | 191                                                                                                                   |
| 6                                                                                                                     | Noida                                                                                                                 | 203                                                                                                                   | 188                                                                                                                   |

| Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                | City/                                                                                                                 | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         |
| S. No.                                                                                                                | City/                                                                                                                 | 2019-20                                                                                                               | 2020-21                                                                                                               |
| 7                                                                                                                     | Bareily                                                                                                               | 178                                                                                                                   | 166                                                                                                                   |
| 8                                                                                                                     | Delhi                                                                                                                 | 178                                                                                                                   | 182                                                                                                                   |
| 9                                                                                                                     | Anpara                                                                                                                | 171                                                                                                                   | 149                                                                                                                   |
| 10                                                                                                                    | Dehradun                                                                                                              | 166                                                                                                                   | 134                                                                                                                   |
| 11                                                                                                                    | Raebareli                                                                                                             | 152                                                                                                                   | 98                                                                                                                    |
| 12                                                                                                                    | Jammu                                                                                                                 | 146                                                                                                                   | 180                                                                                                                   |
| 13                                                                                                                    | Rishikesh                                                                                                             | 135                                                                                                                   | 76                                                                                                                    |
| 14                                                                                                                    | Baddi                                                                                                                 | 133                                                                                                                   | 122                                                                                                                   |
| 15                                                                                                                    | Udaipur                                                                                                               | 130                                                                                                                   | 109                                                                                                                   |
| 16                                                                                                                    | Durgapur                                                                                                              | 129                                                                                                                   | 101                                                                                                                   |
| 17                                                                                                                    | Gobindgarh                                                                                                            | 127                                                                                                                   | 125                                                                                                                   |
| 18                                                                                                                    | Kashipur                                                                                                              | 126                                                                                                                   | 118                                                                                                                   |
| 19                                                                                                                    | Alwar                                                                                                                 | 125                                                                                                                   | 107                                                                                                                   |
| 20                                                                                                                    | Muzaffarpur $                                                                                                         | 134^                                                                                                                  | 159^                                                                                                                  |
| 21                                                                                                                    | Srinagar                                                                                                              | 122                                                                                                                   | 144                                                                                                                   |
| 22                                                                                                                    | Jalandhar                                                                                                             | 118                                                                                                                   | 139                                                                                                                   |
| 23                                                                                                                    | Nalagarh                                                                                                              | 115                                                                                                                   | 87                                                                                                                    |
| 24                                                                                                                    | Rourkela                                                                                                              | 110                                                                                                                   | 92                                                                                                                    |
| 25                                                                                                                    | Talcher                                                                                                               | 107                                                                                                                   | 94                                                                                                                    |
| 26                                                                                                                    | Khanna                                                                                                                | 106                                                                                                                   | 95                                                                                                                    |
| 27                                                                                                                    | Guwahati                                                                                                              | 106                                                                                                                   | 103                                                                                                                   |
| 28                                                                                                                    | Kalinga Nagar*                                                                                                        | 96^                                                                                                                   | 106                                                                                                                   |
| 29                                                                                                                    | Jhansi                                                                                                                | 102                                                                                                                   | 93                                                                                                                    |
| 30                                                                                                                    | Cuttack                                                                                                               | 102                                                                                                                   | 83                                                                                                                    |
| 31                                                                                                                    | NayaNangal                                                                                                            | 99                                                                                                                    | 93                                                                                                                    |
| 32                                                                                                                    | DeraBassi                                                                                                             | 99                                                                                                                    | 105                                                                                                                   |
| 33                                                                                                                    | Patiala                                                                                                               | 98                                                                                                                    | 95                                                                                                                    |
| 34                                                                                                                    | Byrnihat                                                                                                              | 98                                                                                                                    | 125                                                                                                                   |
| 35                                                                                                                    | Bhubaneswar                                                                                                           | 98                                                                                                                    | 81                                                                                                                    |
| 36                                                                                                                    | Jalna                                                                                                                 | 95                                                                                                                    | 90                                                                                                                    |

| Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                | City/                                                                                                                 | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         |
| S. No.                                                                                                                | City/                                                                                                                 | 2019-20                                                                                                               | 2020-21                                                                                                               |
| 37                                                                                                                    | Angul                                                                                                                 | 95                                                                                                                    | 89                                                                                                                    |
| 38                                                                                                                    | Chandrapur                                                                                                            | 90                                                                                                                    | 97                                                                                                                    |
| 39                                                                                                                    | Kolhapur                                                                                                              | 90                                                                                                                    | 77                                                                                                                    |
| 40                                                                                                                    | Dewas                                                                                                                 | 89                                                                                                                    | 91                                                                                                                    |
| 41                                                                                                                    | Ujjain                                                                                                                | 88                                                                                                                    | 100                                                                                                                   |
| 42                                                                                                                    | Amravati*                                                                                                             | 91^                                                                                                                   | 57                                                                                                                    |
| 43                                                                                                                    | Chandigarh                                                                                                            | 88                                                                                                                    | 86                                                                                                                    |
| 44                                                                                                                    | Nagaon                                                                                                                | 88                                                                                                                    | 89                                                                                                                    |
| 45                                                                                                                    | Solapur                                                                                                               | 86                                                                                                                    | 73                                                                                                                    |
| 46                                                                                                                    | Balasore                                                                                                              | 86                                                                                                                    | 79                                                                                                                    |
| 47                                                                                                                    | Sangareddy                                                                                                            | 85                                                                                                                    | 76                                                                                                                    |
| 48                                                                                                                    | Thoothukudi*                                                                                                          | 84                                                                                                                    | 88^                                                                                                                   |
| 49                                                                                                                    | Dimapur                                                                                                               | 83                                                                                                                    | 80                                                                                                                    |
| 50                                                                                                                    | Gulburga                                                                                                              | 82                                                                                                                    | 82                                                                                                                    |
| 51                                                                                                                    | Latur                                                                                                                 | 82                                                                                                                    | 54                                                                                                                    |
| 52                                                                                                                    | Kohima                                                                                                                | 80                                                                                                                    | 83                                                                                                                    |
| 53                                                                                                                    | Gaya                                                                                                                  | 79                                                                                                                    | 69                                                                                                                    |
| 54                                                                                                                    | Paonta Sahib                                                                                                          | 78                                                                                                                    | 77                                                                                                                    |
| 55                                                                                                                    | Hubli-Dharwad                                                                                                         | 76                                                                                                                    | 64                                                                                                                    |
| 56                                                                                                                    | Nalbari                                                                                                               | 75                                                                                                                    | 52                                                                                                                    |
| 57                                                                                                                    | Sagar                                                                                                                 | 72                                                                                                                    | 62                                                                                                                    |
| 58                                                                                                                    | Haldia                                                                                                                | 71                                                                                                                    | 94                                                                                                                    |
| 59                                                                                                                    | Pathankot/Dera Baba $                                                                                                 | 69^                                                                                                                   | 66^                                                                                                                   |
| 60                                                                                                                    | Sunder Nagar                                                                                                          | 68                                                                                                                    | 60                                                                                                                    |
| 61                                                                                                                    | Vizianagaram                                                                                                          | 67                                                                                                                    | 62                                                                                                                    |
| 62                                                                                                                    | Akola                                                                                                                 | 67                                                                                                                    | 54                                                                                                                    |
| 63                                                                                                                    | Sangli                                                                                                                | 67                                                                                                                    | 68                                                                                                                    |
| 64                                                                                                                    | Nellore                                                                                                               | 67                                                                                                                    | 57                                                                                                                    |
| 65                                                                                                                    | Srikakulam                                                                                                            | 65                                                                                                                    | 64                                                                                                                    |
| 66                                                                                                                    | Eluru                                                                                                                 | 64                                                                                                                    | 58                                                                                                                    |

| Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 2: 82 Non-Attainment Cities being funded under Nation Clean Air Program (NCAP) for Improvement of Air Quality   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                | City/ Town                                                                                                            | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                         |
| S. No.                                                                                                                | City/ Town                                                                                                            | 2019-20                                                                                                               | 2020-21                                                                                                               |
| 67                                                                                                                    | Devanagere                                                                                                            | 63                                                                                                                    | 66                                                                                                                    |
| 68                                                                                                                    | Ongole                                                                                                                | 60                                                                                                                    | 49                                                                                                                    |
| 69                                                                                                                    | Anantapur                                                                                                             | 60                                                                                                                    | 56                                                                                                                    |
| 70                                                                                                                    | Nalgonda                                                                                                              | 59                                                                                                                    | 57                                                                                                                    |
| 71                                                                                                                    | Parwanoo                                                                                                              | 59                                                                                                                    | 44                                                                                                                    |
| 72                                                                                                                    | Rajahmundry                                                                                                           | 59                                                                                                                    | 66                                                                                                                    |
| 73                                                                                                                    | Guntur                                                                                                                | 57                                                                                                                    | 56                                                                                                                    |
| 74                                                                                                                    | Jalgaon                                                                                                               | 56                                                                                                                    | 52                                                                                                                    |
| 75                                                                                                                    | Kurnool                                                                                                               | 56                                                                                                                    | 53                                                                                                                    |
| 76                                                                                                                    | Sibsagar                                                                                                              | 55                                                                                                                    | 49                                                                                                                    |
| 77                                                                                                                    | Korba                                                                                                                 | 52                                                                                                                    | 45                                                                                                                    |
| 78                                                                                                                    | Chitoor                                                                                                               | 52                                                                                                                    | 40                                                                                                                    |
| 79                                                                                                                    | Damtal                                                                                                                | 50                                                                                                                    | 59                                                                                                                    |
| 80                                                                                                                    | Kala Amb                                                                                                              | 50                                                                                                                    | 62                                                                                                                    |
| 81                                                                                                                    | Kadapa                                                                                                                | 47                                                                                                                    | 50                                                                                                                    |
| 82                                                                                                                    | Silchar                                                                                                               | 44                                                                                                                    | 40                                                                                                                    |

| Table 3: 8 Non-Attainment Cities part of Urban Agglomerations identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 3: 8 Non-Attainment Cities part of Urban Agglomerations identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 3: 8 Non-Attainment Cities part of Urban Agglomerations identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   | Table 3: 8 Non-Attainment Cities part of Urban Agglomerations identified under XV-FC recommendations for Improvement of Air Quality   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                                | City/ Town                                                                                                                            | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                                         | Annual AveragePM 10 (µg/m 3 )                                                                                                         |
|                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                       | 2019-20                                                                                                                               | 2020-21                                                                                                                               |
| 1                                                                                                                                     | Raniganj                                                                                                                              | 174                                                                                                                                   | 106                                                                                                                                   |
| 2                                                                                                                                     | Howrah                                                                                                                                | 136                                                                                                                                   | 116                                                                                                                                   |
| 3                                                                                                                                     | Barrackpore                                                                                                                           | 106                                                                                                                                   | 77                                                                                                                                    |

|   4 | Badlapur     |   89 |   66 |
|-----|--------------|------|------|
|   5 | Patancheruvu |   87 |   76 |
|   6 | Ulhasnagar   |   85 |   64 |
|   7 | Thane        |   74 |   96 |
|   8 | Navi Mumbai  |   51 |   51 |