Samastipur Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today
Bihar, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5
Samastipur AQI Right Now
Category: Satisfactory
Dominant Pollutant: pm10
PM2.5: 40.45 µg/m³
PM10: 72.25 µg/m³
Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.
Samastipur Pollutant Levels
| Pollutant | Concentration |
|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 40.45 µg/m³ |
| PM10 | 72.25 µg/m³ |
| O₃ (Ozone) | 4.04 µg/m³ |
| NO₂ | 10.56 µg/m³ |
| SO₂ | 3.24 µg/m³ |
| CO | 192.13 µg/m³ |
Health Advisory — Samastipur
Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.
Health Impact — Samastipur
Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.8 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 Samastipur
- 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 Samastipur Air Quality
Samastipur, a railway junction town on the flat Gangetic floodplain of north Bihar, contends with air quality challenges rooted in its geography, poverty-driven fuel choices, and seasonal weather patterns. Located between the Burhi Gandak and Bagmati rivers in one of India's most flood-prone regions, the town experiences dramatic seasonal swings - from devastating monsoon floods that paradoxically cleanse the air, to bone-dry winters when pollution accumulates to hazardous levels. The flat, featureless terrain offers no topographic barriers to wind, but in winter, calm conditions and dense fog create persistent temperature inversions.
November through February represents the worst air quality period. Dense Gangetic fog - sometimes lasting days without lifting - traps emissions at ground level. Widespread domestic biomass burning is the dominant pollution source: the majority of households in Samastipur and surrounding villages rely on cow dung, wood, and crop residues for cooking and winter heating, generating enormous quantities of PM2.5 and black carbon. Brick kilns in the peri-urban belt operate at full capacity during the dry season, adding to the particulate load. Post-harvest agricultural burning from rice paddies contributes smoke in November. PM2.5 concentrations during severe fog episodes can exceed 200 µg/m³, placing Samastipur among the more polluted towns in Bihar.
The monsoon season (June–September) brings dramatic air quality improvement despite the flooding that devastates infrastructure. Heavy rainfall (1,100–1,300 mm annually) scrubs particulates from the atmosphere, and the warm, moist air prevents inversions. Post-monsoon October provides a brief clean window. Samastipur's limited urban infrastructure - few paved roads, minimal public transport, no industrial emission controls - and the persistent reliance on biomass fuel mean that meaningful air quality improvement depends on broader development initiatives including LPG penetration, road paving, and brick kiln modernisation.
Primary Pollution Sources
- Vehicle exhaust
- Road dust
- Brick kilns
- Domestic biomass burning
- Agricultural burning
- Open waste burning
Geography: North Bihar Gangetic plain; railway junction, flat terrain with Burhi Gandak and Bagmati rivers, flood-prone area
Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February
Frequently Asked Questions — Samastipur
Why is winter air quality so poor in Samastipur?
Samastipur's winter pollution is driven by dense Gangetic fog that traps pollutants, widespread biomass burning for cooking and heating (cow dung, wood, crop residues), brick kiln emissions, and post-harvest agricultural burning. The flat terrain and calm winter winds prevent dispersion, while fog can persist for days without lifting.
How do floods affect Samastipur's air quality?
Paradoxically, the monsoon floods that devastate Samastipur's infrastructure actually improve its air quality. Heavy rainfall scrubs particulates from the atmosphere, flooded brick kilns cease operations, and warm moist air prevents temperature inversions. The flood season (July–September) typically has the cleanest air of the year.
Air Quality in Nearby Cities
- Darbhanga AQI — Bihar
- Muzaffarpur AQI — Bihar
- Begusarai AQI — Bihar
- Hajipur AQI — Bihar
- Madhubani AQI — Bihar
- Patna Sahib AQI — Bihar