Rural PM2.5 pollution in Maharashtra increased between 2014 and 2023, even as urban levels fell by 5.5%, raising concerns about gaps in clean air policies.
Maharashtra’s rural areas are facing worsening air pollution despite improvements in urban air quality highlighting gaps in India’s city focused clean air strategy, according to a new analysis published by India Air Quality & Energy Insights.
The study authored by Manoj Kumar found that rural PM2.5 concentrations in Maharashtra rose by 4.1% between 2014 and 2023 while urban concentrations declined by 5.5% during the same period.
The findings challenge the assumption that air pollution is primarily an urban problem. Across the 24 states assessed, rural areas in many regions recorded pollution levels comparable to those in cities. In 16 states the difference between urban and rural PM2.5 concentrations was less than 10% in 2023.
PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometres or less that can penetrate deep into the lungs and increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The study found that urban PM2.5 concentrations were higher than rural levels in 22 states in 2023. However, the differences were particularly small in Tamil Nadu, at 1.2%, and Karnataka, at 1.9%. Rural concentrations were slightly higher than urban levels in Kerala and West Bengal.
Rural pollution levels remain a concern
The analysis warned that a small gap between urban and rural pollution does not necessarily indicate healthy air. India’s annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5 is 40 micrograms per cubic metre.
In 2023, rural PM2.5 concentrations exceeded this limit in Haryana at 63.9 micrograms per cubic metre, Uttar Pradesh at 60.7, Chhattisgarh at 48.4 Tripura at 47.4 and Jharkhand at 46.3. Several other states, including West Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, also recorded rural pollution levels above the standard.
Although rural PM2.5 concentrations declined in 22 of the 24 states between 2014 and 2023, Maharashtra was among the exceptions. Nationally, average rural concentrations fell by 7%, while urban levels declined by 6.4%.
Need to expand clean air measures beyond cities
The findings raise questions about the reach of the National Clean Air Programme, which primarily targets identified urban centres. The study argues that city level interventions remain important but cannot fully address pollution that travels across district and state boundaries.
It recommends expanding air quality monitoring in rural areas, preparing detailed emissions inventories identifying pollution sources and developing targeted mitigation plans. Researchers also advocate an airshed-based approach, which considers how pollutants move across a geographical region rather than treating each city or district separately.
The analysis used annual PM2.5 estimates from the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group at Washington University in St. Louis, combined with village-boundary data from the Survey of India. It covered 24 states over the 2014–2023 period.
The estimates reflect average pollution concentrations across mapped urban and rural areas, rather than population weighted exposure, and do not establish the precise exposure levels of individual residents.
The study concludes that improving air quality in cities alone may not protect the wider population. Maharashtra’s contrasting urban and rural pollution trends underline the need for a broader strategy that addresses air pollution across both urban and rural landscapes.