Industrial hubs struggle with poor air quality, Sonepat, Dharuhera worst hit
Sonepat, an industrial city in Haryana, recorded only 147 days of ‘clean’ air in 2023, with its Air Quality Index (AQI) being ‘moderate’ or below 200. Averaging a PM10 level of 162 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023-24, Sonepat ranks as the third worst in India for clean air days, trailing Byrnihat in Meghalaya (90 days) and Dhanbad in Jharkhand (143 days), as per the Action Taken Report by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The NGT is reviewing air quality in cities across the nation. The AQI scale defines air quality as ‘good’ between 0-50, ‘satisfactory’ from 51-100, and ‘moderate’ from 101-200. An AQI over 200 is considered ‘poor’ (201-300), ‘very poor’ (301-400), or ‘severe’ (401-500).
In Haryana, after Sonepat, Dharuhera in Rewari had the state’s second fewest clean air days at 174. It also recorded Haryana’s highest average PM10 level of 184 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023-24. Hisar recorded 176 days of ‘moderate’ AQI in 2023, with a PM10 average of 122 micrograms per cubic metre.
Gurugram experienced only 220 clean air days, with an average PM10 of 138 micrograms per cubic metre, while Fatehabad saw 221 days of ‘moderate’ AQI, averaging 131 micrograms per cubic metre. Faridabad had 235 clean air days, with a PM10 average of 174 micrograms per cubic metre. According to the Ministry, Faridabad has implemented clean air action plans as part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
The report highlights that Faridabad achieved a 24% improvement in PM10 levels, reducing from 229 micrograms per cubic metre in 2017-18 to 174 micrograms in 2023-24. Since 2019-20, NCAP funds totalling Rs 73.53 crore have supported road paving, water sprinklers, waste centres, green spaces and more in the city.
Haryana reported to the Ministry that 10 cities, including Dharuhera, Gurugram, Sonepat, Panipat, and Kurukshetra, have draft plans to combat air pollution. Among 5,052 fuel-based NCR industries, 4,832 have shifted to clean fuels, while 220 have been closed. Haryana aims to phase out diesel autos from NCR districts by 2026 and is enforcing waste segregation and door-to-door collection in 45 urban bodies, with 14 NCR districts complying with the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The case’s next hearing is scheduled for November 5.
New building norms for air quality compliance
The Town and Country Planning Department mandates that for all new land use changes and building plan approvals for areas over 500 sq mt in the National Capital Region, applicants must register these sites on the Haryana State Pollution Control Board's dust portal.
