Orai Air Quality Index (AQI) & Air Pollution Today

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

Orai AQI Right Now

176

Category: Moderate

Dominant Pollutant: pm25

PM2.5: 82.78 µg/m³

PM10: 91.14 µg/m³

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

Orai Pollutant Levels

PollutantConcentration
PM2.582.78 µg/m³
PM1091.14 µg/m³
O₃ (Ozone)15.9 µg/m³
NO₂22.65 µg/m³
SO₂4.53 µg/m³
CO669.04 µg/m³

Health Advisory — Orai

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 — Orai

Cigarette Equivalent: Breathing this air is equivalent to smoking 3.8 cigarettes per day (based on current PM2.5 levels).

Life Expectancy Impact: Sustained exposure at this PM2.5 level could reduce life expectancy by 0.47 years (AQLI estimate, relative to WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³).

Health Recommendations for Orai

  • 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 Orai Air Quality

Orai, the headquarters of Jalaun 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 Orai distinctive within UP is bundelkhand jalaun district hq; pahuj river; agriculture-dominated economy; historically drought-pro. The Pahuj 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

  • Agricultural burning
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Brick kilns
  • Road dust
  • Biomass burning
  • Construction dust

Geography: Bundelkhand Jalaun district HQ; Pahuj River; agriculture-dominated economy; historically drought-prone region

Peak pollution months: November, December, January, February

Frequently Asked Questions — Orai

When is air quality worst in Orai?

Air quality in Orai is at its worst during November through February, when winter temperature inversions over the Gangetic Plain trap emissions from agricultural burning, vehicle exhaust, 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 Orai?

Orai's main pollution sources are: agricultural burning, vehicle exhaust, brick kilns, road dust. 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 agriculture activities add a distinctive industrial or agricultural dimension specific to Orai.

Air Quality in Nearby Cities