Bihar's rural air crisis: Most winter days are unsafe to breathe
A new study found that almost 90% of winter and post-monsoon days in Bihar's villages have PM2.5 pollution levels that are unhealthy, often matching or surpassing urban hotspots.
Using 538 sensors across all districts, researchers from IIT Kanpur uncovered just how serious the problem is—most rural areas are breathing unhealthy air nearly all season.
Northern Bihar stands out for the wrong reasons
Northern Bihar, especially the northwest and north-central regions, saw PM2.5 levels soar past 210-220 micrograms per cubic meter in winter.
The main culprits? Brick kilns, sugar mills, rapid urbanization, and lots of biomass burning.
Rural towns top India's pollution charts
Bihar isn't just struggling—its rural areas are among the most polluted in the Indo-Gangetic Plain for PM2.5 and PM10 during winter months.
The study points out that while cities get attention, rural areas often get left behind despite facing severe pollution.
AMRIT project: Shining a light on hidden air problems
Thanks to AMRIT's network of low-cost sensors in rural Bihar, we now have real data showing where things are worst—and why it matters.
This info could help shape smarter policies so everyone can breathe a little easier in the future.