Background: Outdoor air pollution and continuous exposure to ambient air pollutants like particulate matter are among the leading contributors to adverse respiratory health outcomes all over the world. This association between air pollution and the impairment of respiratory functions is evident from number of epidemiological studies. Health risk from particulate pollution is especially high for some risk groups such as children and elderly persons, and those with diseases of lungs. However, there are still many issues to be clarified before we know the real causal relationship between air pollution and health effects. Specific air pollutants have not been identified as causes of health effects. This specific study has been conducted with an objective to evaluate the effects of ambient air pollution on respiratory symptoms and diseases of children, in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state in India. Methods: Comparative cross-sectional quantitative study was undertaken in the Chandrapur district with two geographical locations __ampersandsignndash; study and control between August-November 2013. The data included primary data collection from school children to assess the lung function among children, flow meters were used and readings were recorded.2000 school children were selected in this study. Epidemiological information was collected from them by administering structured tool (2000) and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate was measured through use of Flow Meter (2000).Data was analysed using frequency tables, crosstab analysis and chi-square test to show significance. Results: Statistically significant difference is observed in prevalence of dry cough, night cough and sneezing symptoms between study and control groups. Statistically significant difference is observed in prevalence of dry cough, night cough and sneezing between less than or equal to 5 km (5 km) distance from the industry. Within study group rhinitis showed statistically significant difference for distance less than 5Km and more than 5Km between home and industry by chi square test. Conclusion: There is a significant effect of ambient air pollution on respiratory symptoms of school-aged students with high prevalence of the symptoms in the study area which is the industrial area than the control area. Presence of multiple industries in or near the village is more harmful than the single industry. Additionally, it also shows that the presence of steel, cement and paper industry in or near a village has caused more ill-effects as compared to coal and thermal industry.