Nellore Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

Andhra Pradesh, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5

Nellore AQI Right Now

45

Category: Good

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 26.4 µg/m³

PM10: 44.56 µg/m³

Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.

Nellore Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.526.4 µg/m³
PM1044.56 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)10.1 µg/m³
NO₂15.01 µg/m³
SO₂2.82 µg/m³
CO314.4 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Nellore

Good: Minimal impact on health. Great day to be outdoors!

Health Impact — Nellore

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.2 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.11 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Nellore

  • General Population: Air quality is satisfactory. Enjoy outdoor activities.
  • Elderly: No special precautions needed.
  • Children: Great day for outdoor play.
  • Lung Disease Patients: No restrictions on outdoor activities.

Understanding Nellore Air Quality

Nellore, often called India's shrimp capital, sits on the Pennar River delta along the Bay of Bengal coast in southern Andhra Pradesh. The city's unique pollution profile is shaped by its role as the epicentre of India's aquaculture industry - Nellore district alone accounts for a significant share of India's shrimp production. Aquaculture processing units (shrimp peeling, drying, and freezing facilities) create localised organic particulate emissions and strong odour plumes, particularly in the peri-urban belt where dozens of processing plants operate. The NH-16 (Chennai–Kolkata highway) cuts through the city, bringing heavy freight traffic that generates persistent vehicular exhaust and road dust.

The dry winter-spring period (December–March) sees the worst air quality as reduced rainfall allows dust and emissions to accumulate. PM2.5 concentrations during this period typically range from 40–70 µg/m³ - moderate by Indian standards. Rice mills in the surrounding agricultural belt contribute husk combustion emissions and grain dust, adding to the seasonal load. Open waste burning in the rapidly expanding municipal area, where waste collection infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth, provides another emission source.

The Bay of Bengal coast provides Nellore with natural ventilation - easterly sea breezes during daytime and land breezes at night create regular atmospheric mixing that prevents severe pollution build-ups. Cyclonic weather systems and the northeast monsoon (October–December) bring heavy rainfall that effectively cleanses the atmosphere. The southwest monsoon contributes additional rain from June–September. Overall, Nellore's coastal location gives it a significant air quality advantage over inland cities, though aquaculture processing and NH-16 traffic prevent it from achieving the excellent levels seen in less industrialised coastal towns.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Aquaculture-related emissions
  • Construction dust
  • Rice mill emissions
  • Waste burning

Geography: Pennar River delta on coastal AP; major aquaculture (shrimp farming) centre, NH-16 highway town, Bay of Bengal coastal strip

Peak pollution months: December, January, February, March

Frequently Asked Questions — Nellore

How does the aquaculture industry affect Nellore's air quality?

Nellore's massive shrimp farming and processing industry creates localised organic particulate emissions and persistent odour from peeling, drying, and freezing operations. While these emissions don't dramatically elevate PM2.5 citywide, they cause significant air quality problems for residents near processing clusters in the peri-urban belt.

Does Nellore's coastal location help its air quality?

Yes - the Bay of Bengal coastline provides regular sea-breeze ventilation that disperses pollutants, and the northeast monsoon brings heavy rainfall for atmospheric cleansing. Nellore's coastal position gives it notably better air quality than inland AP cities at similar population levels.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities