Kannauj Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Kannauj AQI Right Now

75

Category: Satisfactory

Dominant Pollutant: pm10

PM2.5: 38.5 µg/m³

PM10: 74.66 µg/m³

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

Kannauj Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.538.5 µg/m³
PM1074.66 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)9.23 µg/m³
NO₂12.5 µg/m³
SO₂4.6 µg/m³
CO890.51 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Kannauj

Satisfactory: Minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people.

Health Impact — Kannauj

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 1.8 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.19 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Kannauj

  • 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 Kannauj Air Quality

Kannauj, the headquarters of Kannauj district in eastern Uttar Pradesh, reflects the typical air quality pattern of UP's agricultural heartland - relatively clean air for brief post-monsoon and summer periods, bookended by severe winter pollution events.

The city's primary pollution sources - agricultural burning from paddy and wheat fields, seasonal brick kiln operations, biomass fuel combustion for cooking and heating, and vehicular exhaust - are shared with virtually all Indo-Gangetic plain cities. What makes Kannauj distinctive within UP is perfume capital of india; attar (natural perfume) distillation with traditional deg-bhapka method; g. The Ganga River provides the topographic context: flat river valley terrain with minimal wind break.

November through February is the worst period: kharif stubble burning (October–November), simultaneous brick kiln activation, increasing biomass burning in cold weather, and the Indo-Gangetic winter inversion create compound PM2.5 readings frequently exceeding 200 µg/m³. Rabi wheat burning (March–May) adds a second agricultural burning event. The monsoon (July–September, 850–1,050 mm) provides the year's cleanest air, with rainfall washing out accumulated particulates and flooding creating a temporary halt to brick kiln and field activities.

Primary Pollution Sources

  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Attar distillation smoke
  • Tobacco processing
  • Agricultural burning
  • Brick kilns
  • Road dust

Geography: Perfume Capital of India; attar (natural perfume) distillation with traditional deg-bhapka method; Ganga corridor; historic capital of Gurjara-Pratiharas

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Kannauj

When is air quality worst in Kannauj?

Air quality in Kannauj is at its worst during November through February, when winter temperature inversions over the Gangetic Plain trap emissions from vehicle exhaust, attar distillation smoke, and biomass burning near the surface. The combination of post-kharif agricultural burning (October–November), brick kiln activation, and cold inversion episodes creates PM2.5 readings that frequently exceed 150 µg/m³ and sometimes approach 300 µg/m³ during the most severe episodes.

What are the main air pollution sources in Kannauj?

Kannauj's main pollution sources are: vehicle exhaust, attar distillation smoke, tobacco processing, agricultural burning. Like most Uttar Pradesh cities, the seasonal pattern is defined by agricultural burning cycles (kharif in October–November, rabi in April–May), year-round brick kiln operations during the dry season (October–April), and persistent biomass burning for domestic energy. The perfume distillation (attar) activities add a distinctive industrial or agricultural dimension specific to Kannauj.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities