Kishanganj Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Kishanganj AQI Right Now

68

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm25

PM2.5: 40.71 µg/m³

PM10: 60.26 µg/m³

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

Kishanganj Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.540.71 µg/m³
PM1060.26 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)16.84 µg/m³
NO₂14.26 µg/m³
SO₂2.6 µg/m³
CO323.43 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Kishanganj

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Kishanganj

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.9 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.2 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Kishanganj

  • 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 Kishanganj Air Quality

Kishanganj occupies a unique niche in Bihar's geography - tucked into the extreme northeastern corner where the state meets West Bengal and Nepal, at the edge of the sub-Himalayan Terai belt. The district is one of Bihar's few tea-growing regions, with small tea gardens dotting the landscape alongside rice paddies and jute fields. The Mahananda River flows through the area, and the proximity to the Himalayan foothills gives Kishanganj heavier monsoon rainfall than most of Bihar, often exceeding 2,000 mm annually.

Winter months (October–January) bring noticeable air quality degradation, though Kishanganj fares somewhat better than the central Gangetic plain cities due to its slightly elevated terrain and greater wind movement from the Terai corridor. Domestic biomass burning remains the primary pollution driver, with most rural and semi-urban households burning wood, dung cakes, and crop residues for cooking and heating. Brick kilns operate on the town's outskirts during the dry season, and post-harvest burning of rice stubble in October–November adds to the regional haze. Vehicular emissions are rising as cross-border trade traffic with Nepal and connectivity to Siliguri increase.

The extended monsoon season (June–September) brings the cleanest air, as torrential rainfall scrubs particulates and suppresses dust. However, post-monsoon waterlogging from the Mahananda can temporarily worsen localised sanitation-related air issues. Pre-monsoon months (March–May) see moderate dust but generally acceptable air quality, making Kishanganj one of Bihar's relatively less polluted districts overall.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Domestic biomass burning
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Agricultural burning
  • Road dust
  • Brick kilns

Geography: Extreme northeast Bihar near the West Bengal and Nepal borders; tea garden district with heavy monsoon rainfall, Mahananda River basin, sub-Himalayan foothills transition zone

Peak pollution months: October, November, December, January

Frequently Asked Questions — Kishanganj

How does Kishanganj's location near Nepal and West Bengal affect its air quality?

Kishanganj's position at the sub-Himalayan Terai transition zone gives it slightly better wind dispersion than central Bihar's flat Gangetic plain. However, cross-border vehicular traffic from Nepal trade routes and connectivity to Siliguri contributes growing exhaust emissions. The district also receives some transboundary haze from agricultural burning in neighbouring regions during winter.

Why is Kishanganj less polluted than other Bihar cities in winter?

Kishanganj benefits from its location at the edge of the sub-Himalayan foothills, which allows slightly better atmospheric mixing than the completely flat central Gangetic belt. Its heavy monsoon rainfall (over 2,000 mm) and relatively smaller urban footprint also mean fewer concentrated emission sources. However, biomass burning and brick kilns still cause notable winter pollution spikes.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities