Silchar Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today
Assam, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5
Silchar AQI Right Now
Category: Satisfactory
Dominant Pollutant: pm10
PM2.5: 32.1 µg/m³
PM10: 68.09 µg/m³
Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.
Silchar Pollutant Levels
| Pollutant | Concentration |
|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 32.1 µg/m³ |
| PM10 | 68.09 µg/m³ |
| O₃ (Ozone) | 1.31 µg/m³ |
| NO₂ | 19.42 µg/m³ |
| SO₂ | 1.7 µg/m³ |
| CO | 541.55 µg/m³ |
Health Advisory — Silchar
Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.
Health Impact — Silchar
Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.5 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).
Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.14 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).
Health Recommendations for Silchar
- General Population: Acceptable air quality. Unusually sensitive people should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
- Elderly: Minor breathing discomfort is possible.
- Children: Should be fine outdoors with normal activities.
- Lung Disease Patients: Consider reducing prolonged outdoor exertion.
Understanding Silchar Air Quality
Silchar, the principal city of Assam's Barak Valley, sits on the southern bank of the Barak River in a subtropical valley surrounded by the hill ranges of Mizoram and Manipur. This valley geography — similar to Guwahati's Brahmaputra valley position — creates a natural bowl that can trap pollutants during still atmospheric conditions. The city serves as the commercial and administrative hub for the three Barak Valley districts (Cachar, Hailakandi, Karimganj) and handles significant transit traffic between Assam's Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.
Winter months (November–February) see the worst air quality as temperature inversions develop over the enclosed valley, trapping emissions from the growing vehicle fleet, brick kilns along the riverbank, and widespread domestic biomass burning using firewood and agricultural waste. Dense morning fog in the valley compounds the problem. The relatively small city size means pollution levels remain moderate by Indian standards, but the valley-trapping effect can push PM2.5 into the Poor range during particularly calm winter days.
The monsoon (June–September) brings extraordinary rainfall — Silchar receives over 3,000mm annually — that thoroughly cleanses the atmosphere and keeps AQI in the Good range. However, the same heavy rainfall causes frequent Barak River flooding, which disrupts normal life. The surrounding hills support dense tropical vegetation that acts as a natural air filter. Silchar's growing population and increasing vehicular traffic, combined with inadequate road infrastructure, are gradually worsening baseline air quality.
Primary Pollution Sources
- Vehicle exhaust
- Road dust
- Brick kilns
- Construction dust
- Waste burning
- Domestic biomass burning
Geography: Barak Valley in southern Assam; surrounded by hills of Mizoram and Manipur, subtropical flood-prone terrain along the Barak River
Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February
Frequently Asked Questions — Silchar
Why does Silchar experience winter air pollution despite being in the green Northeast?
Silchar's valley geography creates a trapping effect similar to Guwahati. The Barak Valley is surrounded by hills of Mizoram and Manipur that restrict horizontal wind flow. During winter, temperature inversions over the valley trap vehicular emissions, biomass burning smoke, and brick kiln particulates near the surface. The lush surrounding forests cannot compensate for emissions trapped within the valley bowl.
When is the best air quality in Silchar?
July through September offers the cleanest air as Silchar receives over 3,000mm of annual monsoon rainfall that provides exceptional atmospheric cleansing. AQI stays in the Good range throughout the monsoon. The worst months are December and January when valley inversions and fog trap emissions near the surface.
Air Quality in Nearby Cities
- Imphal AQI — Manipur
- Shillong AQI — Meghalaya
- Aizawl AQI — Mizoram
- Dimapur AQI — Nagaland
- Kohima AQI — Nagaland
- Guwahati AQI — Assam