Ghaziabad most polluted city in November 2025 with PM2.5 levels of 224 µg/m³, says CREA report. Learn about NCR air quality trends, health risks, and key takeaways for competitive exams.
Ghaziabad Becomes India’s Most Polluted City in November 2025 — CREA Report
Ghaziabad Tops Pollution Charts
According to a report published by Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region (NCR) emerged as India’s most polluted city in November 2025. The city recorded a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 µg/m³, significantly breaching the national safety limits on all 30 days of the month.
While Ghaziabad held the top position, several other NCR cities — including Noida, Bahadurgarh (Haryana), Delhi, Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat (Haryana), Meerut, and Rohtak — joined the list of the 10 worst-affected cities in terms of air pollution.
Scale of Pollution: Days of Hazardous Air Quality
In Ghaziabad, as per CREA’s November snapshot, there were 19 “Very Poor” days, 10 “Severe” days, and only one “Poor” day — indicating near-constant exposure to dangerously high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) throughout the month.
The situation wasn’t restricted to Ghaziabad alone. Across the NCR, 20 out of 29 monitored cities logged higher PM2.5 levels in November 2025 than in November 2024 — underlining a persistent and disturbing trend.
Pollution Drivers Beyond Crop Burning
Interestingly, the report noted a significant reduction in pollution from agricultural stubble-burning this year: its contribution to Delhi’s pollution dropped to an average of 7% in November, down from 20% the previous year.
Despite this decline, air quality has worsened — making it clear that the primary culprits behind the worsening pollution are year-round sources such as vehicular emissions, industrial activities, power plants, construction dust, and other combustion-related processes, and not just seasonal agricultural fires.
Nationwide Impact: Pollution Crisis Across States
The problem is not confined to NCR alone. According to the CREA data:
- In the state of Rajasthan, 23 out of 34 monitored cities exceeded the national PM2.5 limits in November.
- Similarly, high pollution levels were widespread in states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab.
- On the flip side, Shillong (Meghalaya) was found to be the cleanest city in November, with a PM2.5 concentration of just 7 µg/m³, highlighting the stark contrast in air quality across India.
Health and Policy Implications
The high levels of PM2.5 — microscopic particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers — pose serious health risks. These particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Long-term exposure is linked to respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis, cardiovascular diseases, and increased mortality risks, especially among children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
The CREA report highlights that the current pollution surge underscores the urgent need for sector-specific emission reductions, better urban planning, robust waste-management systems, enforcement of dust-control norms at construction sites, and a shift toward cleaner energy and transportation solutions.
Why This News Is Important
Relevance for Government Exam Aspirants
For students preparing for competitive exams such as those for teaching, police, banking, railways, defence, or civil services (like UPSC Civil Services Examination), such environmental developments are crucial. Questions in current affairs or environmental-awareness sections often revolve around air pollution data, national air quality trends, policy responses, and health implications. Understanding the scale and causes of air pollution — especially in major urban centres — helps you tackle both static-GK and dynamic-current affairs questions.
Reflects Larger Environmental and Policy Challenges
The report signals that India’s air-pollution problem is evolving: it’s no longer just a seasonal issue linked to crop burning or winter smog. Rather, persistent urban and industrial emissions are now primary contributors — meaning long-term policy interventions, sustainable urban planning, and systemic changes are required. For aspirants aiming for roles in civil services, policing, local governance or administration, awareness of such structural challenges is crucial.
Public Health and Social Impact — Key for General Awareness
Elevated PM2.5 levels — especially at the magnitude recorded in November 2025 — have direct consequences for public health, urban quality of life, and economic productivity. As future government employees or officers, you might be involved in policymaking or implementation where such data becomes relevant. Hence, staying informed helps build a well-rounded perspective, which is often tested in both prelims and mains of various exams.
Historical Context
Air pollution has been a long-standing challenge in northern India — especially in the NCR region. In previous years, significant spikes in pollution were often linked to seasonal crop-residue burning (post-harvest stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana) combined with the onset of winter, when temperature inversion traps pollutants close to the ground.
However, over recent years, urbanization, rapid industrial growth, increased vehicular traffic, construction activities, and energy consumption have contributed to rising baseline pollution levels. Despite periodic campaigns and the launch of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), many cities continue to struggle with air-quality standards.
The 2025 CREA report thus underscores a shift: even when seasonal stubble burning decreased, air quality still deteriorated — pointing to the establishment of pollution as a near-permanent urban problem rather than a seasonal phenomenon.
Key Takeaways from This News
| # | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ghaziabad recorded a monthly average PM2.5 level of 224 µg/m³ in November 2025, making it the most polluted city in India that month. |
| 2 | All 30 days of November in Ghaziabad breached safe air-quality standards, with 19 “Very Poor” days and 10 “Severe” days. |
| 3 | Urban and industrial pollution sources (vehicles, industry, construction) — not just seasonal stubble burning — are the dominant contributors to air pollution in NCR. |
| 4 | Pollution isn’t limited to NCR; many cities across states like Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab also exceeded safe PM2.5 levels in November 2025. |
| 5 | The situation highlights the urgent need for robust policy measures: dust control, emissions regulation, better public transport, waste management, and shift toward clean energy. |
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Which city became India’s most polluted in November 2025?
A: Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region (NCR) became the most polluted city.
Q2: What was the average PM2.5 concentration in Ghaziabad in November 2025?
A: The average PM2.5 concentration was 224 µg/m³.
Q3: How many “Severe” air quality days were recorded in Ghaziabad during November 2025?
A: There were 10 “Severe” air quality days.
Q4: What are the main contributors to air pollution in NCR cities according to the CREA report?
A: Urban and industrial sources such as vehicles, industries, construction dust, and power plants are the main contributors.
Q5: Did crop stubble burning contribute significantly to pollution in November 2025?
A: No, it contributed only about 7% in Delhi, down from 20% the previous year.
Q6: Which city was recorded as the cleanest in November 2025?
A: Shillong in Meghalaya, with a PM2.5 concentration of 7 µg/m³.
Q7: Why is this news important for competitive exams?
A: This news is relevant for current affairs, environmental awareness, and general knowledge sections in exams like UPSC, State PSCs, banking, railways, and teaching exams.
Q8: What are the health risks associated with PM2.5 exposure?
A: Risks include respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and higher mortality, especially among children, elderly, and people with pre-existing conditions.
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