PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

India's Chhattisgarh Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 30.4 million across 27 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 51.5µg/m³. That's 10.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 854 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Chhattisgarh met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 4.57 years longer.

That's 138.9M years of life stolen from 30.4 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Chhattisgarh. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Raipur
6.8 years lost
2.Durg
6.7 years lost
3.Bemetara
6 years lost
4.Baloda Bazar
5.7 years lost
5.Mungeli
5.2 years lost
6.Janjgir-Champa
5.2 years lost
7.Mahasamund
5 years lost
8.Dhamtari
4.9 years lost
9.Bilaspur
4.9 years lost
10.Rajnandgaon
4.8 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

24.2%

7.4M

> 35 µg/m³

75.8%

23.0M

Districts

All 27 Districts in Chhattisgarh

Complete air quality data for every district in Chhattisgarh, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Raipur	2.7M	73.9	6.8 years
Durg	2.4M	73.2	6.7 years
Bilaspur	2.3M	54.5	4.9 years
Janjgir-Champa	1.9M	57.9	5.2 years
Rajnandgaon	1.8M	54.1	4.8 years
Raigarh	1.8M	47.8	4.2 years
Baloda Bazar	1.5M	62.9	5.7 years
Korba	1.4M	44.5	3.9 years
Mahasamund	1.2M	55.9	5.0 years
Bastar	1.1M	31.6	2.6 years
Jashpur	1.0M	31.3	2.6 years
Surajpur	984K	32.1	2.7 years
Balrampur	972K	29.7	2.4 years
Dhamtari	959K	55.1	4.9 years
Kabirdham	951K	53.7	4.8 years
Uttar Bastar Kanker	909K	39.5	3.4 years
Surguja	866K	31.3	2.6 years
Bemetara	859K	66.6	6.0 years
Mungeli	836K	57.9	5.2 years
Koriya	779K	31.0	2.5 years
Balod	751K	53.4	4.7 years
Gariaband	611K	42.8	3.7 years
Kondagaon	605K	33.5	2.8 years
Sukma	338K	26.5	2.1 years
Bijapur	307K	26.3	2.1 years
Dantewada	246K	26.2	2.1 years
Narayanpur	143K	31.8	2.6 years

Showing 27 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Chhattisgarh is Injurious to Health.