The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) recently released its monthly air quality snapshot for January 2026. The findings reveal a grim reality for North India, with Ghaziabad and Delhi emerging as the top two most polluted cities in the country. The report underscores a chronic failure to meet national and global safety standards, despite numerous policy interventions.
1. Key Findings of the CREA Report (January 2026)
- Top Polluted Cities: Ghaziabad (UP) ranked 1st with a PM2.5 concentration of 184 µg/m³, followed by Delhi at 169 µg/m³.
- National Standard Breach: Out of 248 cities with reliable data, 123 cities (nearly 50%) breached India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 (60 µg/m³).
- Global Standard Breach: Zero cities met the World Health Organization (WHO) daily safe guideline of 15 µg/m³.
- Delhi’s Air Quality Profile: The capital recorded 24 ‘Very Poor’ days, 3 ‘Severe’ days, and only 2 ‘Moderate’ days during the month.
- Cleanest City: Damoh (Madhya Pradesh) was recorded as the cleanest city with an average PM2.5 level of 17 µg/m³.
2. Strategic Dimensions for UPSC & State PCS
To address the “Mains” perspective, it is essential to look beyond the numbers and analyze the institutional and policy framework governing air quality in India.
A. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) – The 2026 Target
Launched in 2019, NCAP originally aimed for a 20–30% reduction in PM levels by 2024.
- Revised Goal: In 2022, the target was updated to a 40% reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 levels by 2026 (taking 2017 as the baseline).
- Non-Attainment Cities: These are cities that have consistently failed to meet NAAQS for five years. Currently, over 130 cities are covered under NCAP.
- Performance: The CREA report notes that 46 out of 97 NCAP cities with sufficient data still exceeded daily national limits in January 2026, indicating a significant lag in meeting the 2026 goals.
B. Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
Established as a statutory body via the CAQM Act, 2021, it is the overarching authority for Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas.
- Powers: It has the authority to issue binding directions, conduct inspections, and impose penalties (up to ₹1 crore fine or 5 years imprisonment).
- Overlap: CAQM replaced the earlier Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA).
C. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)
GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) levels.
- Stages: Stage I (Poor), Stage II (Very Poor), Stage III (Severe), and Stage IV (Severe Plus).
- Recent Activity: In January 2026, Stage IV was briefly invoked in Delhi-NCR due to “Severe” pollution, leading to bans on non-essential construction and specific categories of commercial vehicle entry.
3. Challenges and Recommendations (Mains Perspective)
- Metric Misalignment: NCAP primarily focuses on PM10, whereas experts argue that PM2.5 and precursor gases (SO2 and NO2) are more dangerous and require prioritized monitoring.
- The Airshed Approach: Pollution in Delhi is not just a local problem but a regional one. An airshed-based management approach—which treats the entire geographical area sharing the same air mass—is necessary to tackle transboundary pollution from stubble burning and industries in neighboring states.
- Fiscal Misallocation: Currently, a large portion of NCAP funds (approx. 68%) is spent on road dust management, while sectors like industrial emissions and waste management receive less than 1% of the allocated budget.