India Records Dangerous Air Quality Spike as Winter Smog Intensifies

India is experiencing sharper winter pollution this year, and surprisingly, crop-stubble burning is not the main cause anymore. According to new data from CREA, air quality across the country worsened in November 2025, with nine out of the ten most polluted cities reporting higher pollution levels than last year.

Ghaziabad Becomes India’s Most Polluted City

Leading the list is Ghaziabad, which recorded an alarming PM2.5 average of 224 µg/m³ in November. This level breached India’s air-quality standards every single day, making it the most polluted city in the country.

Even New Delhi faced severe deterioration. The capital registered an average PM2.5 of 215 µg/m³, almost double its October level, placing it as the fourth most polluted city in India.

Stubble Burning Drops, But Pollution Still Rises

One of the most significant findings is the sharp fall in pollution from crop-stubble burning.
In Delhi, stubble smoke contributed only around 7% to November pollution — a major drop from 20% last year.

This shift shows a worrying truth:

The biggest threat now comes from continuous, year-round pollution sources, including:

• Vehicle emissions

• Industrial pollution

• Power plant smoke

• Other combustion-based activities

Experts Warn of Repeated Air-Quality Breaches

CREA analyst Manoj Kumar cautions that without targeted emission cuts across key sectors, cities will continue to violate clean-air limits.

The problem is no longer seasonal — it’s constant and nationwide.

Most Indian Cities Fail to Meet Clean-Air Standards

The nationwide data shows severe decline:

• Out of 255 cities with reliable monitoring, only 114 met India’s daily safe limit of 60 µg/m³.

• Shockingly, only two cities met the WHO’s stricter guideline of 15 µg/m³.

This confirms that toxic air is now a year-round reality for most urban areas in India.