Damoh Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Damoh AQI Right Now

67

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 30.87 µg/m³

PM10: 66.58 µg/m³

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

Damoh Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.530.87 µg/m³
PM1066.58 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)44.77 µg/m³
NO₂14.26 µg/m³
SO₂3.6 µg/m³
CO445.3 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Damoh

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Damoh

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.4 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 Damoh

  • 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 Damoh Air Quality

Damoh, a quiet agricultural town on the Vindhya plateau in central Madhya Pradesh, derives its economy almost entirely from farming - wheat, soybean, gram, and pulses dominate the surrounding landscape. This agricultural identity shapes the city's air quality profile: post-harvest stubble burning in November and December sends smoke across the Bearma River valley, while dust from unpaved farm-access roads and threshing operations contributes to elevated PM10 during the dry season. The town lacks significant industrial activity, making biomass burning and road dust the primary pollution concerns.

Winter months (November–February) see the worst air quality as temperature inversions over the Vindhya plateau trap agricultural smoke, domestic biomass combustion emissions, and vehicular exhaust in a shallow boundary layer. Morning fog mixes with wood smoke from cooking fires in surrounding villages, creating a persistent haze that can keep PM2.5 in the 60–90 µg/m³ range through December and January. The Vindhya terrain's moderate elevation provides slightly better ventilation than low-lying river plains, but calm winter anticyclones override this advantage.

The monsoon (July–September) delivers 1,000–1,200 mm of rainfall that effectively cleans the atmosphere and transforms the dry plateau into lush green farmland. Post-monsoon October is typically clean before the kharif harvest burning cycle begins. Damoh's small population, absence of heavy industry, and extensive agricultural surrounds mean its overall annual air quality is better than most central Indian district headquarters, though winter biomass burning episodes can temporarily push readings into unhealthy territory.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Agricultural burning
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Domestic biomass burning
  • Construction dust

Geography: Vindhya plateau in central Madhya Pradesh; agricultural town on the Bearma River surrounded by wheat, soybean, and pulse farmlands

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Damoh

What causes winter air pollution in Damoh?

Damoh's winter pollution comes primarily from agricultural stubble burning after the kharif (soybean, pulse) harvest in November–December, domestic biomass burning for cooking and heating across surrounding villages, and vehicular exhaust on the town's roads. Temperature inversions over the Vindhya plateau trap these emissions near the surface, creating morning haze that persists until solar heating lifts the inversion layer.

How does Damoh's air quality compare to larger MP cities?

Damoh's air quality is generally better than larger Madhya Pradesh cities like Bhopal, Indore, or Jabalpur due to its small population, absence of heavy industry, and lower vehicular traffic. However, during peak winter burning episodes in November–December, short-term PM2.5 readings can temporarily match those of larger cities before dispersing.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities