Bihar Cities AQI: Motihari and Munger Have Worst Air Quality, Moderate Pollution in Capital

Patna: Pollution levels across Bihar have prompted the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) to launch a comprehensive study of the most affected areas in key cities. The initiative aims to identify the underlying causes of air pollution and inform targeted mitigation strategies.

While cold wave conditions over the past four days have led to some improvement in air quality, certain areas in Patna, including Danapur and Samanpura, remain in the most polluted category. Motihari and Munger, however, recorded the highest levels of pollution on Monday, with Air Quality Index (AQI) readings of 218 and 212 respectively. Bettiah, in contrast, maintained satisfactory air quality with an AQI of 69.

Sixteen cities in the state reported moderate pollution levels, including Patna, where AQI readings ranged from 118 in Rajvanshi Nagar to 163 in Muradpur. Experts attribute the recent improvements to a combination of reduced wind speed, fog, and dew, which have lowered pollutant concentrations in the atmosphere.

Current AQI of Major Cities in Bihar

The Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) classifies air quality into six categories based on the Air Quality Index (AQI). An AQI of 0–50 is considered good and is marked in green, while 51–100 is satisfactory, shown in light green. Levels between 101–200 fall under moderately polluted and are coded yellow. An AQI of 201–300 is considered poor and represented in orange, 301–400 is very poor and marked red, and 401–450 is classified as severe, indicated by dark red or maroon. The BSPCB team will continue monitoring air quality across the state to track trends and recommend interventions aimed at reducing pollution in Bihar’s urban centres.