Indian cities with least amount of air pollution

As of October 23, 2024, the PM2.5 or particulate matter 2.5, that is used to refer to the tiny particles in the air that are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, is 3.5 times above the recommended limit given by the WHO. Air pollution has become a growing concern in many parts of the world, including India, where urbanization and industrialization have led to deteriorating air quality in several cities. The situation especially worsens around the festive season in India, which is October. While the rest of the country finds it difficult to even breathe, some cities are relatively cleaner in terms of pollution. One of the major indicators of pollution in places is the AQI or its Air Quality Index. The lesser the AQI, the cleaner the place is. Around the globe, cities and countries are classified into three categories when it comes to the level of AQI, they are Good, moderate and poor. While some Indian cities are notorious for always getting placed in the list of most polluted cities in the world, there are others who are doing exceptionally well. The data in this article has been taken from a site called AQI, which is the first of its kind in India and reflects real time numbers on its website. Let us explore the Indian cities with the classification of ‘Good’, based on their AQI numbers.

With an AQI(IN) of 5, Bishnupur tops the list of least polluted cities in India. This small town is situated some 27 Kms away from Imphal City on Tiddim Road.

Another town situated in Manipur is at the top of the list. Kakching, was declared as the cleanest city in North East India by the Swachh Bharat Mission of the Indian government, in 2018.

Imphal, the capital of Manipur, has an AQI(IN) of 7, which is the third best in the country. The city is surrounded by 9 hills, which helps keep the air of the Imphal clean.

The capital of Mizoram, which is also its most populous city has an AQI(IN) of 8, which is classified as ‘Good’. It is situated atop a series of ridges, and has an average elevation of around 1,132 meters above sea level.

Channarayapatna is a town, situated in the district of Hassan, Karnataka. It has a current AQI(IN) of 11. Its current PM2.5 is also below the recommended limit given by the WHO.

Silchar, situated in Assam has an air quality index of 11. Located some 340 kilometers from Guwahati, silachar is the second most populated city in the state. Silchar’s landscape is marked with swamps, streams, and isolated small hills.

Situated in southern India, Madanapalle has an AQI of 12, making it the seventh least polluted city in the country. Madanapalle is the biggest tomato market in Asia.

Hindupur is located to the edge of the Andhra–Karnataka border, and has an AQI of 14. The city sits at an elevation of 2,037 feet (621 meters) above sea level.

With an AQI of 14, Kolar has an AQI of 14. This city is located in Karnataka and bordered by the Eastern Ghats from one side and hills and mountains from the north side.

Parigi is a town located in Telangana, and has an AQI of 15. It has PM2.5 of 10, which makes the overall air of Parigi clean.