Bihar Air Pollution Spikes: Patna and 15 Districts Record Toxic Air as Hajipur’s AQI Hits 245

Patna: Air quality deteriorated sharply across Bihar on Thursday as winter smog thickened over major cities, pushing pollution levels into the poor and very poor categories in several districts. Fifteen districts reported unhealthy air, with Hajipur emerging as the most polluted city at an alarming AQI of 245.

According to state pollution monitoring data, the spike was driven largely by PM 2.5 concentrations, which pushed Hajipur’s air into the “poor” category, posing heightened health risks for vulnerable groups.

Patna among worst affected

The state capital, Patna, also recorded worrying levels of pollution.
The average AQI stood at 152, placing it firmly in the “moderate to poor” bracket.
In Samanpura, the AQI peaked at 243, making it one of the most polluted locations in the city.

Other pollution readings across Patna included:

• Danapur (DRM Office): 153

• Patna City (Shikarpur): 153

• Taramandal area: 122

• Muradpur: 146

• Rajvanshi Nagar: 108

Samastipur, Saharsa also hit

Beyond Patna, Samastipur recorded a high AQI of 194, while Saharsa logged 178, both indicating worsening air quality as cold weather traps pollutants near the surface.

Cleanest air in Purnia and Kishanganj

While pollution gripped much of Bihar, Purnia offered some relief with an AQI of just 41, making it the cleanest district on Thursday.
Kishanganj, too, reported fresh air with an AQI of 44, comfortably within the “good” range.

AQI snapshot across major cities

AQI categories (India standards)

• 0–50: Good

• 51–100: Satisfactory

• 101–200: Moderately polluted

• 201–300: Poor

• 301–400: Very poor

• 401–450: Severe

As temperatures continue to drop, air quality experts warn of further deterioration in the coming weeks unless wind speeds improve or emissions decline.