### Environment
* **Air Quality:** Patna frequently experiences poor air quality (high AQI), particularly during the winter months. This is driven by vehicular emissions, extensive construction dust, geographical factors, and seasonal agricultural fires in surrounding districts. * **Water Quality:** The city sits on the banks of the Ganges. The river faces pollution challenges, but active efforts under the national **Namami Gange** initiative are underway to build sewage treatment plants (STPs) and clean the riverfront (ghats). * **Protected Areas and Parks:** * **Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan (Patna Zoo):** One of the most visited botanical and zoological parks in India, serving as a massive green lung for the city. * **Eco Park (Rajdhani Vatika):** A major green space featuring lakes, walking trails, and vast plantations. * **Buddha Smriti Park:** A sprawling urban park built in the heart of the city to commemorate the 2554th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. * **Sustainability Initiatives:** The Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) has inducted fleets of CNG and electric buses to reduce urban carbon emissions. Afforestation drives (Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali) are heavily promoted by the state government.