Top 10 cities in India with the best and worst air quality

Air quality has been a serious concern for the residents of cities across India. Many top-tier cities with advanced urbanisation log drastic numbers at the official Air-Quality Index (AQI).

Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) released pollution levels across 241 Indian cities on Thursday, highlighting a growing concern for air quality among the urban hubs.

The data reflects the AQI of the past 24 hours, registered on Thursday at 4 pm.

Notably, an AQI of 0-50 is regarded as ‘Good’, which causes minimal impact to human health. And a 401-500 AQI is considered to be in the ‘Severe’ category, affecting healthy individuals, and having grave implications on those with existing diseases.

Tamil Nadu’s Palkalaiperur has topped the list with a ‘Good’ AQI of 20.

Meanwhile, the national capital Delhi has retained its unassailable spot as the city with the worst air quality in the country at an alarming AQI of 306 in the ‘Very Poor’ category.

Indian cities with the best air quality:

Palkalaiperur, Tamil Nadu - 20

Balasore, Odisha - 23

Aizawl, Mizoram - 25

Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu - 25

Chikkaballapur, Karnataka - 28

Madikeri, Karnataka - 29

Madurai, Tamil Nadu - 29

Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka -  30

Gangtok, Sikkim - 30

Nagaon, Assam - 30

Indian cities with the worst air quality:

Delhi - 306

Meerut, Uttar Pradesh - 293

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh - 272

Bhiwani, Haryana - 266

Hapur, Uttar Pradesh - 261

Jind, Haryana - 261

Charkhi Dadri, Haryana - 260

Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan - 260

Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh - 257

Hanumangarh, Rajasthan - 255