Berhampur Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today
Odisha, India — Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM2.5
Berhampur AQI Right Now
Category: Satisfactory
Dominant Pollutant: pm25
PM2.5: 42.82 µg/m³
PM10: 64.99 µg/m³
Last updated: 2026-03-24 — Data source: Google Air Quality API (NAQI). Live NAQI values load when you visit the page.
Berhampur Pollutant Levels
| Pollutant | Concentration |
|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 42.82 µg/m³ |
| PM10 | 64.99 µg/m³ |
| O₃ (Ozone) | 51.3 µg/m³ |
| NO₂ | 11.96 µg/m³ |
| SO₂ | 2.22 µg/m³ |
| CO | 483.18 µg/m³ |
Health Advisory — Berhampur
Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.
Health Impact — Berhampur
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 0.21 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).
Health Recommendations for Berhampur
- 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 Berhampur Air Quality
Berhampur - known as the Silk City of Odisha - is the commercial hub of the Ganjam district in southern Odisha, famed for its exquisite Berhampur Patta (silk) sarees woven in thousands of household workshops across the city's handloom clusters. These weaving and dyeing operations, particularly in areas like Giri Road and Aska Road, use chemical dyes and boiling vats that release fine organic particulates and volatile compounds into the surrounding lanes. Combined with growing vehicular traffic on the city's congested commercial corridors, Berhampur's air quality reflects the pressures of a rapidly urbanising mid-sized Indian city.
Winter months (December–March) bring the worst air quality, though Berhampur's proximity to the Bay of Bengal (~30 km) provides a significant moderating influence. PM2.5 concentrations during peak months typically range from 50–90 µg/m³, placing the city in the Moderate category. The Eastern Ghats foothills to the west can channel cool air drainage during winter nights, creating localised inversions in low-lying areas. Domestic biomass burning for cooking in peri-urban settlements and municipal waste burning add seasonal spikes, particularly in early morning hours.
Berhampur's coastal proximity is its greatest air quality advantage - regular sea breezes from the Bay of Bengal, especially during afternoon hours, help disperse urban pollutants. The monsoon season (June–September) delivers 1,000–1,300 mm of rainfall that washes out particulates and brings consistently Good AQI readings. Cyclonic weather systems during October–December, while bringing destructive winds and rainfall, effectively clear the atmosphere. The Gopalpur beach and coastal ecosystem 15 km to the southeast ensure a maritime influence that keeps Berhampur's annual average AQI significantly better than inland cities at similar latitudes.
Primary Pollution Sources
- Vehicle exhaust
- Road dust
- Silk weaving workshop emissions
- Construction dust
- Waste burning
- Domestic biomass burning
Geography: Southern Odisha in Ganjam district; Silk City known for Berhampur Patta sarees, ~30 km from Bay of Bengal coast, Eastern Ghats foothills nearby
Peak pollution months: December, January, February, March
Frequently Asked Questions — Berhampur
How does the silk industry affect Berhampur's air quality?
Berhampur's handloom silk industry - producing the famous Patta sarees - involves chemical dyeing, boiling, and weaving in thousands of household workshops. These release fine organic particulates and volatile compounds into narrow residential lanes. While the citywide impact is modest, hyper-local exposure in weaving clusters like Giri Road and Aska Road can be significant for artisan families.
Does Berhampur's coastal location help air quality?
Yes - Berhampur's proximity to the Bay of Bengal (~30 km) provides regular sea breeze circulation that disperses urban pollutants, especially during afternoons. This maritime influence keeps annual average PM2.5 significantly lower than inland cities. Cyclonic weather systems also periodically clear the atmosphere during October–December.
Air Quality in Nearby Cities
- Srikakulam AQI — Andhra Pradesh
- Bhubaneswar AQI — Odisha
- Cuttack AQI — Odisha
- Visakhapatnam AQI — Andhra Pradesh
- Sambalpur AQI — Odisha
- Jagdalpur AQI — Chhattisgarh