CO in India
Colourless, odourless gas produced when fuels burn incompletely. Binds to haemoglobin and reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.
WHO guideline
4 mg/m³ (24 hour mean)
India NAAQS
2 mg/m³ (8 hour mean)
Live CO levels — top Indian cities right now
Where CO comes from
- Petrol and diesel vehicles (especially in traffic)
- Generators and diesel pumps
- Open biomass burning
- Industrial combustion
- Faulty domestic gas appliances
How CO harms human health
- Confusion, dizziness and impaired vision
- Reduced exercise tolerance
- Worsens cardiovascular disease
- Fatal at very high concentrations
- Pregnancy: reduced foetal oxygen supply
What you can do
Reduce personal exposure with N95 masks during peak hours, run a HEPA purifier indoors, and switch to clean transport where possible. Push for systemic change: file an RTI, attend NCAP city consultations, demand transparent station data from your municipality.
Set CO alerts for your city →
Other pollutants