Motihari Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Motihari AQI Right Now

119

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm25

PM2.5: 65.39 µg/m³

PM10: 123.87 µg/m³

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

Motihari Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.565.39 µg/m³
PM10123.87 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)1.35 µg/m³
NO₂11.37 µg/m³
SO₂0.87 µg/m³
CO907.34 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Motihari

Moderate: Breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases.

Health Impact — Motihari

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 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 0.36 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Motihari

  • General Population: People with respiratory or heart conditions should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
  • Elderly: Reduce prolonged outdoor activities.
  • Children: Reduce prolonged outdoor play.
  • Lung Disease Patients: Avoid prolonged outdoor exertion.

Understanding Motihari Air Quality

Motihari, the headquarters of East Champaran district and the birthplace of George Orwell, sits in the Terai-Gangetic transition zone of northwest Bihar, barely 50 kilometres from the Nepal border. The town is the commercial heart of one of Bihar's most productive sugarcane belts, and the sugar industry fundamentally shapes its seasonal air quality profile. Multiple sugar mills operating from November through March burn bagasse (crushed cane fibre) in their boilers, releasing particulate-laden smoke that hangs over the town during the crushing season — coinciding precisely with peak winter pollution months.

October through January represents the worst air quality window. Sugarcane bagasse burning from crushing mills creates a distinctive sweet-smelling haze that layers over the standard winter pollution cocktail of domestic biomass burning, brick kiln emissions, and post-harvest rice stubble fires. Motihari's flat Terai geography and the moisture contributed by the nearby Gandak River system promote dense, persistent fog that traps all these emissions close to the ground. The town's rapid growth as a border trade hub with Nepal has increased diesel truck traffic significantly, adding vehicular exhaust to the seasonal buildup.

The monsoon (June–September) brings heavy relief with 1,200–1,400 mm of rainfall, shutting down brick kilns and clearing atmospheric particulates. The Gandak River and local streams flood periodically, disrupting road transport but washing the air clean. Pre-monsoon months (April–May) are hot and dusty but generally show moderate air quality. Motihari's sugarcane-driven economy makes addressing pollution uniquely challenging, as the mills are the primary economic engine for thousands of farming families across East Champaran.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Sugarcane bagasse burning
  • Domestic biomass burning
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Brick kilns
  • Agricultural burning

Geography: East Champaran district headquarters near the Nepal border; birthplace of George Orwell, sugarcane belt economy, flat Gangetic Terai zone with Gandak River proximity

Peak pollution months: October, November, December, January

Frequently Asked Questions — Motihari

How do sugar mills affect Motihari's air quality?

Motihari is surrounded by sugar mills that operate during the crushing season (November–March), burning sugarcane bagasse in their boilers and releasing significant particulate emissions. This coincides with winter inversion conditions, trapping mill smoke alongside other pollutants. The characteristic sweet-smelling haze from bagasse burning is a seasonal marker of poor air quality in the East Champaran region.

Is Motihari's border proximity to Nepal a pollution factor?

Yes — Motihari's role as a trade gateway to Nepal via the Raxaul border crossing means substantial diesel truck traffic passes through the town. Cross-border commerce in agricultural goods, consumer products, and fuel generates concentrated vehicular emissions on the main highway corridors. Additionally, open burning practices on both sides of the border contribute to the regional winter haze.

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