Saharsa Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Saharsa AQI Right Now

167

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm25

PM2.5: 79.95 µg/m³

PM10: 119.92 µg/m³

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

Saharsa Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.579.95 µg/m³
PM10119.92 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)4.66 µg/m³
NO₂2.54 µg/m³
SO₂5.13 µg/m³
CO674.61 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Saharsa

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

Recommendation: Sensitive groups (children, elderly, people with respiratory conditions) should limit outdoor exposure.

Health Impact — Saharsa

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 3.6 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.45 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Saharsa

  • 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 Saharsa Air Quality

Saharsa is the administrative headquarters of one of Bihar's most flood-ravaged districts, sitting on the alluvial deposit zone of the Kosi River system in the northern Gangetic plain. The Kosi's notorious channel-shifting behaviour has created a landscape of sandy alluvial soil, abandoned river courses, and an extremely high water table that influences both agriculture and atmospheric conditions. The town serves as a district-level commercial centre and railway junction, with an economy driven primarily by rice cultivation, dairy farming, and small-scale trade.

The October–January period brings the worst air quality as the Kosi basin's saturated soil and high water table generate extraordinary levels of atmospheric moisture, creating winter fog that can blanket the region for consecutive weeks. Under these fog-inversion conditions, emissions from domestic biomass burning — the primary cooking and heating fuel for the majority of Saharsa's households — accumulate relentlessly. Post-harvest rice burning in October–November initiates the pollution season, which deepens as brick kilns activate and temperatures drop. Open waste burning in municipal areas, driven by inadequate waste collection infrastructure, adds a persistent year-round pollution baseline that spikes in winter when dispersion fails.

Monsoon flooding (June–September) brings annual disruption to Saharsa but paradoxically the cleanest air of the year, as 1,200–1,400 mm of rainfall washes away particulates and flood conditions shut down brick kilns and most outdoor activities. Post-flood recovery in September–October creates a brief transition period. The pre-monsoon months (March–May) see high temperatures and moderate wind-blown dust from the sandy Kosi alluvium. Saharsa's air quality trajectory depends heavily on Bihar's broader success in promoting clean cooking fuels and reforming brick kiln technology.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Domestic biomass burning
  • Agricultural burning
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Brick kilns
  • Open waste burning

Geography: North Bihar in the Kosi River flood-prone zone; agricultural district headquarters, flat alluvial terrain with extremely high water table, rail junction

Peak pollution months: October, November, December, January

Frequently Asked Questions — Saharsa

How does the Kosi River influence Saharsa's air quality?

The Kosi River system creates a high water table and moisture-saturated soil across the Saharsa district, which generates extreme winter fog conditions. This fog traps surface pollutants under tight inversions for days or weeks at a time. During monsoon, Kosi flooding shuts down emission sources and cleanses the air. The river's sandy alluvial deposits also contribute wind-blown dust during pre-monsoon dry months.

What are the main health risks from Saharsa's air pollution?

Saharsa's winter pollution — dominated by PM2.5 from biomass burning and brick kilns — creates significant respiratory health risks, particularly for children, elderly residents, and those with pre-existing conditions like asthma. Indoor air quality is often worse than outdoor air due to biomass cooking fires in poorly ventilated homes. The combination of outdoor and indoor pollution exposure makes respiratory diseases a leading health burden in the district.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities