Air pollution in Gurugram Smog settling in a residential area of Gurugram, Haryana, India. (more) pollution in India Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/pollution-in-India Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Aman Kumar Aman Kumar is an editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. Aman Kumar Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Mar 26, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Which Indian city is the most polluted? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Byrnihat, an industrial town on the border between Assam and Meghalaya states, is the most polluted city in India. As of 2024 it was the most polluted city in the world." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What contributes to Indiau2019s air pollution? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Industrial and motor-vehicle emissions are major contributors to Indiau2019s air pollution. Stubble burning on farms in the north of the country and dust blown eastward from the Thar Desert contribute to pollution levels in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, and dust from construction sites and unpaved roads can significantly increase air pollution in cities." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What causes winter smog in northern India? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In winter, chronic pollution in northern India is worsened by smoke from fireworks during Diwali and from stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana states that gets trapped over the plains because of low air pressure. These factors combine to create a thick smog over Delhi and surrounding areas in winter." } } ] } Top Questions Which Indian city is the most polluted? Byrnihat, an industrial town on the border between Assam and Meghalaya states, is the most polluted city in India. As of 2024 it was the most polluted city in the world.

　　What contributes to India’s air pollution? Industrial and motor-vehicle emissions are major contributors to India’s air pollution. Stubble burning on farms in the north of the country and dust blown eastward from the Thar Desert contribute to pollution levels in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, and dust from construction sites and unpaved roads can significantly increase air pollution in cities.

　　What causes winter smog in northern India? In winter, chronic pollution in northern India is worsened by smoke from fireworks during Diwali and from stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana states that gets trapped over the plains because of low air pressure. These factors combine to create a thick smog over Delhi and surrounding areas in winter.

　　pollution in India, environmental contamination in India caused by the addition of volumes of substances at a rate beyond the environment’s ability to absorb them. India faces pollution challenges in air, land, water, and soil resources, with regional challenges of radiation and urban challenges of noise pollution. Indian cities frequently feature in lists of the world’s most polluted urban areas. A 2024 report by IQAir, which monitors air quality index (AQI) readings across the world, reported that 11 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are found in India. Byrnihat, an industrial town on the border between Assam ...(100 of 2112 words)

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