Panihati Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Panihati AQI Right Now

68

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 33.42 µg/m³

PM10: 67.05 µg/m³

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

Panihati Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.533.42 µg/m³
PM1067.05 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)21.68 µg/m³
NO₂13.92 µg/m³
SO₂3.83 µg/m³
CO511.69 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Panihati

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Panihati

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.5 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.15 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Panihati

  • 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 Panihati Air Quality

Panihati, a densely populated municipality on the western bank of the Hooghly River in North 24 Parganas, serves as a northern residential overspill zone for Kolkata. The town's famous Chira Doi (flattened rice and yoghurt) Utsav draws cultural significance, but its air quality story is defined by metropolitan proximity - sharing the Kolkata Metropolitan Area's pollution burden without having the green lungs or planned infrastructure of the core city.

Winter months (November–February) bring the worst air quality as temperature inversions over the flat Hooghly River basin trap emissions from vehicular traffic, domestic biomass burning, and small-scale industrial units. The dense residential fabric with narrow lanes impedes air circulation, and open waste burning - common in areas lacking regular municipal collection - adds particulate matter. Morning fog along the river corridor reduces visibility and traps pollutants at breathing level for extended periods.

The monsoon (June–September) provides the best air quality as consistent rainfall cleanses the atmosphere and the Hooghly's monsoon flows improve the local microclimate. While Panihati lacks the heavy industrial sources of neighbouring Bhatpara and Titagarh, its high population density and vehicular emission load from commuter traffic to Kolkata create a baseline pollution level that keeps AQI in the Moderate range even during better months.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Road dust
  • Industrial emissions (small-scale)
  • Construction dust
  • Waste burning

Geography: Northern Kolkata suburb on Hooghly River; dense residential area, part of KMA, flat alluvial terrain

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Panihati

How is Panihati's air quality related to Kolkata's?

Panihati is part of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) and shares its airshed. Regional pollution from Kolkata's vehicular, industrial, and domestic sources influences Panihati's readings, particularly during winter inversions when pollutants are trapped across the entire metropolitan corridor along the Hooghly River.

What makes winter air quality worse in Panihati?

Winter temperature inversions trap emissions from vehicles, biomass burning, and waste burning in the dense residential fabric. The Hooghly River's moisture creates persistent morning fog that keeps pollutants at ground level. Additionally, reduced wind speeds prevent horizontal dispersion across the flat alluvial terrain.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities