CREA report shows Dharuhera is India's most polluted city (October)
Dharuhera in Haryana just topped the list as India's most polluted city for October 2025, according to a new CREA report.
The study found air quality is getting worse across the Indo-Gangetic Plain and NCR, with Dharuhera clocking an average PM2.5 level of 123 micrograms per cubic meter—well into the 'Severe' range.
Delhi ranked 6th; stubble burning behind less than 6% pollution
Delhi ranked sixth with a PM2.5 level of 107, while Rohtak, Ghaziabad, and Noida also made the high-pollution list.
Surprisingly, stubble burning was behind less than 6% of Delhi's pollution—so other sources are doing most of the damage.
On a brighter note, Shillong in Meghalaya had some of the cleanest air at just 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
Out of 249 cities tracked, over 200 exceeded national air quality standards—a clear sign that tackling pollution needs to be a top priority.