Bihar Affairs
All the top 20 most polluted cities of east India located in Bihar
Cities in Indias eastern states Bihar,West BengalandOdisha are increasingly falling into the pincer grip of toxic particulate pollution during winter season, and the problem is spreading quickly to the smaller cities and towns of the region, said the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its latest assessment.
The CSE noted that even though the long-term trend in winter air quality improved marginally, it worsened last winter (2022-23) with the eastern states experiencing the most polluted season since 2019-20. In absolute concentration terms, Bihar with an Average PM2.5 level of 134 micrograms per
cubic meter (g/m3) was the most polluted state in the east, followed by West Bengal with average PM2.5 level of 84 g/m3. Odisha was third with a seasonal average of 63 g/m3.Patnahad the highest increase in winter pollution during the 2022-23 season among the major cities whereas pollution levels were worst in smaller towns of Bihar. In fact, all the top 20 most polluted cities of east India are located in Bihar.