Noida logs best annual average AQI in 2024; lowest since 2017

Ghaziabad: Noida recorded its best and lowest annual average air quality index (AQI) since 2017 in the year 2024, according to data compiled by the Uttar Pradesh pollution control board (UPPCB). The data revealed that the annual average AQI in Noida stood at 184 in 2024, yet the PM2.5 and PM10 annual average concentrations still hovered above the permissible limits in 2024.

Both the cities of Noida and Ghaziabad have only four air-quality monitoring stations each. However, there are areas in these cities that frequently suffer high pollution levels, but these remain undetected, environmentalists have pointed out.

Official data from the UPPCB indicates that the annual average AQI for Noida stood at 214, 229, 218, 189, 208, 199 and 188 in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. The annual figure stood at 184 in 2024 which is the lowest since 2017.

UP pollution control board officials attributed the lower AQI to favourable meteorological conditions that prevailed during the second half of 2024, which included spells of rain and better wind speed, which helped the dispersal of pollutants in the region.

“During the second half of the year in 2024, the meteorological conditions remained favourable. It is generally seen that AQI surges to ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ categories during the winter season. In 2025, we will focus on reduction in road dust, instances of garbage burning, to further improve conditions here,” said Utsav Sharma, regional officer of UPPCB, Noida.

Meanwhile, the monthly AQI category figures of the UPPCB indicate that the year 2020, which had long periods of lockdown triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, experienced 20 “severe” days, and 18 of these were in the months of November and December.

Besides, the city also experienced 59 “very poor” days in 2020 and 38 of these were in the months of October, November and December. “The winter months in 2020 saw deterioration in air quality, while the winter months this year fared much better. Hence, AQI was better than that in 2020,” said Utsav Sharma, regional officer UPPCB.

However, in 2024, the number of “severe” days reduced to two while there were 43 days of “very poor” category AQI, and 20 of these were in the months of October, November and December.

The improvement in AQI, however, did not indicate that the air in Noida also improved when compared to the permissible limits of PM10 and PM2.5 particulate matter, officials said adding that the standard limit for PM10 is 100 micrograms per cubic metre while that of PM2.5 is 60 micrograms per cubic metre.

The annual average figures for Noida indicate that PM10 and PM2.5 never dipped below the standard limits since 2017-18.

The UPPCB figures indicate that annual average PM10 concentration in the year 2024 was 176 micrograms per cubic metre which is the lowest since 2018 (figures of 2017 were not available).

Likewise, the annual average PM2.5 levels of 82 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024 stood second best compared to figures in 2022 when the city recorded an annual average of 79 micrograms per cubic metre.

Environmentalists said that better weather conditions prevailed this year and aided reduction in pollution levels.

“The pollution abatement measures should generally be taken up all year round instead of during the winter seasons or when the graded response action plan (Grap) comes into effect. Noida still has issues of dust, several construction sites, vehicular emissions and instances of garbage burning, etc., which must be acted upon in the long term. Resources like mechanised road sweeping machines, water tankers/sprinklers, etc should also be increased,” said Vikrant Tongad, a city-based environmentalist.

The official data also indicates that Noida experienced only two high-pollution “severe” days in 2024 which is the lowest since 2017. Data from previous years show that the city experienced 22 such days in 2017, 23 in 2018, 34 in 2019, 20 in 2020, 21 in 2021, three in 2022, and five in 2023.

Likewise, the “very poor” days also came down to 43 in 2024, while these were 35 in 2017. In other years, these were on the higher side at 75 in 2018, 53 in 2019, 59 in 2020, 71 in 2021, 78 in 2022, and 56 in 2023.

According to the AQI scale, the AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good,” 51 and 100 “satisfactory,” 101 and 200 “moderate,” 201 and 300 “poor,” 301 and 400 “very poor,” 401 and 450 “severe,” and above 450 “severe plus.”

Sushil Raghav, an environmentalist from Ghaziabad has urged the authorities to install more air-quality monitoring stations in the twin cities of Noida and Ghaziabad, so that a correct picture of pollution levels can be ascertained.

“The winter months in 2020 saw deterioration in air quality, while the winter months this year fared much better. Hence, AQI was better than that in 2020,” said Utsav Sharma, regional officer UPPCB.