Aizawl Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Aizawl AQI Right Now

58

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 29.68 µg/m³

PM10: 57 µg/m³

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

Aizawl Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.529.68 µg/m³
PM1057 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)36.5 µg/m³
NO₂0.55 µg/m³
SO₂4.56 µg/m³
CO52.43 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Aizawl

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Aizawl

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.3 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.13 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Aizawl

  • 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 Aizawl Air Quality

Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram perched at approximately 1,100 metres across a series of steep north-south ridges, consistently records some of the cleanest air in India. The city's elevation, combined with dense subtropical and tropical forest cover across the surrounding Mizo Hills and annual rainfall exceeding 2,500 mm, creates natural conditions that are exceptionally hostile to pollution accumulation. With virtually no heavy industry in the entire state and a population under 300,000, Aizawl's air quality challenges are modest by any Indian standard - AQI readings in the Good category (NAQI below 50) are the norm for most of the year.

The dry season from December through March represents Aizawl's relative pollution peak, though even peak readings rarely cross the Moderate threshold. During these months, jhum (slash-and-burn shifting cultivation) fires in the surrounding hillsides send visible smoke plumes across the ridges, temporarily raising PM2.5 levels in downwind neighbourhoods. Vehicle emissions on the city's steep, narrow roads - where older trucks and SUVs labour uphill in low gears - contribute a localised but noticeable exhaust load, particularly along the congested Zarkawt-Bara Bazaar corridor. Open waste burning in residential areas adds to the dry-season haze, as does construction dust from Aizawl's rapid hillside expansion.

The monsoon season (May–September) brings torrential rainfall that scrubs the atmosphere clean, frequently pushing AQI into single digits. Post-monsoon months (October–November) maintain excellent air quality as residual moisture and lingering green cover suppress dust. Aizawl's primary air quality risk is the intensification of jhum burning and increasing vehicle numbers on roads never designed for heavy traffic - but its extraordinary natural ventilation and rainfall ensure that serious pollution episodes remain rare.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Construction dust
  • Jhum (slash-and-burn) farming smoke
  • Waste burning
  • Road dust

Geography: Hill city at ~1,100m elevation in central Mizoram; state capital built across steep ridges, dense subtropical forest cover, extremely heavy rainfall (~2,500mm annually)

Peak pollution months: December, January, February, March

Frequently Asked Questions — Aizawl

What is the air quality like in Aizawl?

Aizawl enjoys some of the cleanest air in India, with AQI readings typically in the Good category (NAQI below 50) for most of the year. The city's elevation at 1,100 metres, dense forest cover, and heavy annual rainfall (~2,500 mm) naturally suppress pollution. Even during the driest winter months, AQI rarely crosses the Moderate range.

What causes air pollution in Aizawl?

Aizawl's limited pollution comes from jhum (slash-and-burn) farming smoke during the dry season (December–March), vehicle exhaust on steep narrow roads, open waste burning, and construction dust from rapid hillside development. The city has no heavy industry, so pollution sources are primarily local and seasonal.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities