Breathing Easy: Aizawl air is cleanest in India, Assam’s Nalbari among the top 10 most polluted cities

With a low PM2.5 level of only 11.1 micrograms, Aizawl’s air is the cleanest in India, according to Respirer Reports

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Aizawl, capital of Mizoram in northeast India has the cleanest air with a low PM2.5 level of only 11.1 micrograms. The most polluted city is Delhi and the list also includes Assam’s Nalbari.

This is as per a report by Respirer Reports, an initiative of Respirer Living Sciences, a climate sciences IoT startup based in Mumbai and Pune, who analyzed air quality trends from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023.

The cities with the cleanest air also includes Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka, Mandikhera in Haryana, and Chamarajanagar, Madikeri, Vijayapura, Raichur, Shivamogga, Gadag, and Mysuru in Karnataka.

On the other hand, the most polluted cities also include Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, and Meerut. In Bihar, the cities of Patna and Muzaffarpur, Asansol in West Bengal and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.

PM2.5, which measures fine particulate matter, is a crucial indicator of air pollution’s health impacts. This data is accessible through the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 levels in Indian cities by 40% of 2017 levels by 2026, according to a press release from Respirer Living Science.

Patna ranks second with a PM2.5 level of 99.7 μg/m3, experiencing a 24% decline in air quality over the previous year. Seven of the top 10 polluted cities are in Delhi-NCR and Bihar, all situated in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Comparing air quality during peak pollution months (October–March) from 2019 to 2023, the report found that Mumbai’s air quality deteriorated steadily, while Delhi’s and Lucknow’s improved.

Also Read : Mizoram has over 8.51 lakh voters: State Election Commission

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