The Indo-Gangetic Plain sees 20% rise in particulate pollution, according to a new satellite-based study that warns pollution is no longer confined to its source regions. The study found that particulate matter pollution across the Indo-Gangetic Plain rose by more than 20% during 2010-2019 compared with the previous decade.

The research, published in Atmospheric Environment, analyzed aerosol data from 2000 to 2024 across the Indo-Gangetic Plain, Northeast India, and the Himalayas using NASA’s MODIS and MERRA-2 satellite datasets. It was conducted by researchers at Bose Institute, Kolkata, and led by Prof. Abhijit Chatterjee, with Soumen Raul as the primary researcher.

Eastern IGP Emerges as a Persistent Aerosol Hotspot

The highest pollution levels during the study period were recorded in the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain, especially in Bihar, southern West Bengal, and large parts of Bangladesh. The lower IGP recorded the highest aerosol optical depth of 0.71, which indicates how much sunlight is blocked by suspended particles in the atmosphere.

Biomass Burning and Regional Drivers

Biomass burning emerged as a major and growing driver of pollution. Carbonaceous aerosols, produced by burning crop residue, wood, and other organic material, increased sharply across the eastern IGP and Northeast India.

Key findings include:

• Eastern IGP hotspot: Bihar, southern West Bengal, and Bangladesh recorded the highest long-term pollution levels.
• Northeast India shift: Organic carbon and sulphate components rose by nearly 50% in the 2010s compared with the 2000s.
• Pollution classification worsened: Most of Northeast India shifted from “polluted” to “highly polluted” aerosol classification.
• Western IGP contrast: Dust pollution over the western IGP showed an overall declining trend.
• Assam concern: Sulphate emissions rose by more than 30% after NCAP implementation, linked to thermal power plants and oil refineries around Guwahati and Dibrugarh.

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Pollution Plumes Are Reaching the Himalayas

The study used backward trajectory modeling to trace how pollution travels from source regions toward the Himalayas. It found that emissions from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh are affecting aerosol loading over the western and central Himalayas. Pollution from the lower IGP and Northeast India is influencing the eastern Himalayas.

This matters because the Himalayas are ecologically and climatically sensitive, yet they remain outside the scope of structured clean-air interventions. Researchers warned that emissions from places such as Punjab or Bihar do not stay local; they travel into mountain ecosystems.

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Why Clean Air Policy Needs to Expand

The study assessed the impact of India’s National Clean Air Program, launched in 2019. It found measurable improvements in overall particulate levels in states such as Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam after NCAP, but biomass-burning pollution has not declined significantly in any of these states.

Researchers argue that the next phase of India’s clean-air mission must go beyond the current focus on 131 non-attainment cities. Rural regions, the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, Northeast India’s biosphere reserves, and the Himalayan ranges also need targeted clean-air action.

Overall, the Indo-Gangetic Plain sees 20% rise in particulate pollution, which is not just a regional air-quality warning. It shows that India’s pollution crisis is now spreading across plains, forests, and mountains, demanding wider monitoring, stronger biomass-burning controls, and cleaner energy interventions.

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