<h3>Overview</h3> <p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Gurgaon — a rapidly urbanising city in Haryana, part of the National Capital Region; its air‑quality challenges illustrate the broader urban pollution problem in India (GS3: Environment/Economy)">Gurgaon</span> recorded the highest monthly average <span class="key-term" data-definition="PM2.5 — fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm; a major health‑hazard indicator used in air‑quality monitoring (GS3: Environment/Economy)">PM2.5</span> of <strong>116 µg/m³</strong> in March 2026. A new report by the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) — an independent research institute that analyses energy use and air‑quality data across India (GS3: Environment/Economy)">CREA</span> shows that Haryana contributed four cities to the nation’s top‑10 most polluted list, underscoring regional disparities in air‑quality management.</p> <h3>Key Developments (March 2026)</h3> <ul> <li>Gurgaon emerged as the most polluted city with a monthly average <strong>PM2.5 of 116 µg/m³</strong>.</li> <li>Four Haryana cities (Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh, Faridabad, Manesar) featured in the top‑10 list.</li> <li>Ghaziabad topped the <strong>FY 2025‑26</strong> annual rankings.</li> <li>Haryana had the highest number of cities breaching the <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) — legally prescribed limits for key pollutants set by the Central Pollution Control Board; compliance is mandatory for all Indian cities (GS3: Environment/Economy)">NAAQS</span> (9 of 24), followed by Uttar Pradesh (8 of 21).</li> <li>Only a handful of cities met the <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) — a 2019‑launched central government initiative aiming for a 20‑30% reduction in PM2.5/PM10 by 2024‑25 through city‑specific action plans (GS3: Environment/Economy)">NCAP</span> targets after seven years of implementation.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <ul> <li>Top‑10 polluted cities (March 2026): <strong>Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh, Faridabad, Singrauli, Mandideep, Ghaziabad, Manesar, Bhiwadi, Noida, Nandesari</strong>.</li> <li>States with most cities exceeding <span class="key-term" data-definition="NAAQS">NAAQS</span>: Haryana (9), Uttar Pradesh (8).</li> <li>Cities showing >40% reduction in <span class="key-term" data-definition="PM10 — particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 µm; another key air‑quality metric (GS3: Environment/Economy)">PM10</span> since the 2017‑18 baseline: 9 in Uttar Pradesh, 3 in Maharashtra, 2 each in West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, and one each in Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Nagaland, J&K, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Assam.</li> <li>States with rising <span class="key-term" data-definition="non‑attainment status — classification for cities that exceed NAAQS, indicating failure to meet prescribed air‑quality standards (GS3: Environment/Ec