Rohtak in Haryana recorded the highest Air Quality Index (AQI) among the top 10 cities on November 2, with a reading of 486. Fraidkot in Punjab was at second with an AQI of 418. Bathinda in Punjkab was at third with a record AQI of 406.
Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh was followed by an AQI of 378.
The list includes cities from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Jharkhand.
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India's Top 10 Most Polluted Cities Today
The 10 cities with the highest AQI readings on November 2 are:
1. Rohtak, Haryana: 486
2. Faridkot, Punjab: 418
3. Bathinda, Punjab: 406
4. Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh: 378
5. Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh: 343
6. Sirsa, Haryana: 340
7. Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh: 318
9. Noida, Uttar Pradesh: 314
10. Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh: 316
11. Dhanbad, Jharkhand: 307
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Haryana and Jharkhand each accounted for one Indian city on the list, while Uttar Pradesh featured four cities and Punjab featured two.
Moradabad ranked sixth with an AQI of 318. Sampit followed at 308, while Dhanbad recorded an AQI of 307. Bulandshahr and Noida completed the top 10 with readings of 300 and 298, respectively.
What Does AQI Mean?
The Air Quality Index is a measure used to communicate air pollution levels and their potential impact on health. India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) divides readings into six categories. An AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as good, while readings between 51 and 100 are considered satisfactory.
The moderate category covers readings between 101 and 200, followed by poor (201 to 300), very poor (301 to 400) and severe (401 to 500). Labels differ between trackers. The one used here follows the US AQI scale, which is why readings between 201 and 300 are called “Severe” and anything above that “Hazardous”.
What Are PM2.5 And PM10?
AQI is calculated from pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10. These stand for particulate matter, tiny solid and liquid particles floating in the air. PM2.5 refers to particles of 2.5 micrometres or smaller, and PM10 to particles of 10 micrometres or smaller. PM2.5 is considered more harmful because the particles are fine enough to travel deep into the lungs.
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Who Should Be Careful?
Air quality can shift through the day depending on weather conditions, wind speed, vehicle emissions and industrial activity, so each reading is only a snapshot of one moment.
People with asthma or other respiratory conditions, children and older adults are most likely to feel breathing discomfort. They are advised to follow local air quality updates and limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity when pollution rises.
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