Lunglei and Tura recorded the lowest annual PM2.5 levels among Indian locations in the WHO’s latest air-quality database, with four of the five lowest readings coming from Meghalaya and Mizoram.
India’s air-pollution conversation often centres on cities battling high particulate-matter levels.
But the country’s air-quality map looks very different outside its biggest urban and industrial centres.
h Organization (WHO) Ambient Air Quality Database, Version 8.0, released in June 2026, contains ground-level measurements of annual average concentrations of PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen dioxide from 8,023 human settlements across 127 countries and territories, covering measurements collected between 2010 and 2024.
An analysis of the Indian entries in the database shows five locations with the lowest reported annual average PM2.5 concentrations: Lunglei in Mizoram, Tura and Nongstoin in Meghalaya, Dawki in Meghalaya, and Kolasib in Mizoram.
Their recorded annual PM2.5 concentrations range from 6 to 8 micrograms per cubic metre.
There is, however, an important caveat: these are not cities that WHO has officially ranked as India’s cleanest.
All five measurements are from 2021, meaning they should not be interpreted as current 2026 air-quality readings. WHO also cautions that its database is not comprehensive and that monitoring coverage and measurement methods vary between places.
1. Lunglei, Mizoram
At 6 micrograms per cubic metre, Lunglei shares the lowest PM2.5 reading in the Indian dataset.
Lunglei is located in the southern part of Mizoram and is the headquarters of Lunglei district. The district administration describes the town as the state’s second-largest settlement and places it in the south-central part of Mizoram, at an altitude of about 1,222 metres.
The district also shares an international boundary with Bangladesh.
2. Tura, Meghalaya
Tura, the headquarters of Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district, also recorded 6 µg/m³.
The town sits in the foothills of the Tura range and is surrounded by the hilly landscape of the Garo Hills. The West Garo Hills district administration identifies Tura as the district headquarters and the state’s second-largest town after Shillong.
Tura’s relatively small urban footprint is markedly different from India’s largest metropolitan centres, where dense traffic, construction and industrial activity can contribute to particulate pollution.
3. Nongstoin, Meghalaya
Further east, Nongstoin, the headquarters of West Khasi Hills district, recorded an annual PM2.5 concentration of 7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2021.
Nongstoin is part of Meghalaya’s predominantly hilly western landscape. The Meghalaya government lists Nongstoin as the headquarters of West Khasi Hills.
4. Dawki, Meghalaya
The fourth-lowest reading came from Dawki, which recorded 8 micrograms per cubic metre.
Dawki lies in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills, close to the international border with Bangladesh. The Land Ports Authority of India describes Dawki as a border location connected to Bangladesh and around 84 km from Shillong.
The location is perhaps better known to travellers for the Umngot River and its border landscape than as a major urban centre, another reminder that WHO’s database includes human settlements of different sizes, rather than only large cities.
5. Kolasib, Mizoram
The fifth location is Kolasib in Mizoram, which also recorded 8 micrograms per cubic metre .
Kolasib lies at the northern tip of Mizoram, sharing its northern boundary with Assam. The district administration identifies Kolasib town as the administrative headquarters.
Together, Lunglei and Kolasib mean two of the five lowest Indian readings in the WHO dataset came from Mizoram.
What exactly does a PM2.5 reading of 6 or 8 mean?
PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter. These particles can come from several sources, including fossil-fuel combustion and other human activities.
WHO’s database uses ground-level measurements intended to represent air quality across a city or town rather than simply reporting the reading from one monitoring station.
Why are four of the five places in Northeast India?
The geography is striking: four of the five locations are in Meghalaya or Mizoram.
These are predominantly hilly parts of the Northeast, with smaller urban centres than India’s major metropolitan regions. Tura, for instance, sits at the foothills of the Garo Hills, while Lunglei is located in the mountainous landscape of southern Mizoram.
But the WHO data alone cannot establish that hills, forests or geography are the reason for the lower readings.
Annual PM2.5 concentrations are shaped by multiple factors, including local emissions, transport, industry, fuel use, weather, topography and the extent and location of monitoring.
And a low annual average does not mean pollution is absent throughout the year. Short-term pollution episodes can still occur even in places with relatively low annual concentrations.
Sources:
‘Air pollution is responsible for 6.7 million premature deaths every year’: By World Health Organisation, Air quality, energy and health
‘WHO Ambient Air quality database’: Air Quality database Update 2026 (Version Eight)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thebetterindia.com
