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 Odisha Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Odisha

Odisha faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 47.4 million across 30 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 36.4µg/m³. That's 7.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 604 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 Odisha met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 3.08 years longer.

That's 145.9M years of life stolen from 47.4 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 Odisha. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Bargarh
4.4 years lost
2.Sambalpur
3.8 years lost
3.Jharsuguda
3.7 years lost
4.Sundargarh
3.7 years lost
5.Nuapada
3.7 years lost
6.Subarnapur
3.5 years lost
7.Balangir
3.5 years lost
8.Mayurbhanj
3.4 years lost
9.Anugul
3.4 years lost
10.Deogarh
3.4 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

47.3%

22.4M

> 35 µg/m³

52.7%

25.0M

Districts

All 30 Districts in Odisha

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Ganjam	4.0M	32.7	2.7 years
Cuttack	3.0M	35.2	3.0 years
Mayurbhanj	2.8M	40.0	3.4 years
Baleshwar	2.6M	38.5	3.3 years
Khordha	2.5M	34.6	2.9 years
Sundargarh	2.4M	42.5	3.7 years
Jajapur	2.1M	34.7	2.9 years
Kendujhar	2.0M	38.7	3.3 years
Balangir	1.9M	41.0	3.5 years
Puri	1.9M	33.4	2.8 years
Kalahandi	1.8M	33.9	2.8 years
Bhadrak	1.7M	35.7	3.0 years
Bargarh	1.7M	49.5	4.4 years
Kendrapara	1.6M	34.1	2.9 years
Koraput	1.6M	27.6	2.2 years
Anugul	1.4M	39.9	3.4 years
Nabarangpur	1.4M	33.4	2.8 years
Dhenkanal	1.3M	37.6	3.2 years
Jagatsinghapur	1.3M	33.1	2.8 years
Sambalpur	1.2M	43.3	3.8 years
Rayagada	1.1M	29.7	2.4 years
Nayagarh	1.1M	34.7	2.9 years
Kandhamal	828K	27.4	2.2 years
Subarnapur	693K	41.2	3.5 years
Malkangiri	692K	27.7	2.2 years
Gajapati	680K	28.1	2.3 years
Nuapada	674K	42.4	3.7 years
Jharsuguda	655K	42.8	3.7 years
Boudh	501K	35.1	2.9 years
Deogarh	356K	39.5	3.4 years

Showing 30 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Odisha is Injurious to Health.