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 Jharkhand Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Jharkhand

Jharkhand faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 39.2 million across 24 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 42.1µg/m³. That's 8.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 698 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 Jharkhand met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 3.64 years longer.

That's 142.6M years of life stolen from 39.2 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 Jharkhand. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Purbi Singhbhum
4.7 years lost
2.Saraikela-kharsawan
4.6 years lost
3.Bokaro
4.4 years lost
4.Dhanbad
4.4 years lost
5.Sahibganj
4.2 years lost
6.Ramgarh
4.1 years lost
7.Pashchimi Singhbhum
4 years lost
8.Godda
3.8 years lost
9.Ranchi
3.7 years lost
10.Khunti
3.6 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

19.7%

7.7M

> 35 µg/m³

80.3%

31.4M

Districts

All 24 Districts in Jharkhand

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Ranchi	3.4M	42.6	3.7 years
Dhanbad	3.2M	49.4	4.4 years
Giridih	2.9M	38.4	3.3 years
Purbi Singhbhum	2.8M	52.8	4.7 years
Bokaro	2.5M	49.9	4.4 years
Hazaribagh	2.4M	37.2	3.2 years
Palamu	2.3M	34.7	2.9 years
Pashchimi Singhbhum	1.8M	46.3	4.0 years
Deoghar	1.8M	37.8	3.2 years
Dumka	1.6M	35.2	3.0 years
Garhwa	1.6M	32.9	2.7 years
Godda	1.6M	44.2	3.8 years
Sahibganj	1.4M	47.9	4.2 years
Saraikela-kharsawan	1.2M	51.4	4.6 years
Chatra	1.2M	34.3	2.9 years
Gumla	1.2M	34.7	2.9 years
Ramgarh	1.1M	46.8	4.1 years
Pakur	1.0M	41.4	3.6 years
Jamtara	929K	40.7	3.5 years
Latehar	868K	32.8	2.7 years
Simdega	712K	39.0	3.3 years
Khunti	646K	41.9	3.6 years
Lohardaga	544K	34.3	2.9 years
Kodarma	497K	38.2	3.3 years

Showing 24 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Jharkhand is Injurious to Health.