Assam pollution control board rejects report calling Guwahati the second most polluted city

Guwahati: Rejecting the report of IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology organisation that termed Assam capital Guwahati as the second-most polluted city, Assam State Pollution Control Board on Wednesday claimed the air pollution in the city is "absolutely under control" and was much less than that shown in the international report.

Calling the IQAir report as "unscientific and absurd," the board said that its monitoring of the air ambient quality has revealed that the monthly average PM2.5 concentration in Guwahati air was 52.61 microgram per cubic meter, where as the IQAir claimed it to be 105.4 microgram per cubic meter.

"Our data contradicts the report of IQAir, whose data source is not known. As per the IQAir report, the average PM2.5 concentration in Guwahati for 2023 has been reported as 105.4 microgram per cubic meter, which is almost reported at 200% more than the actual recorded value by the government of India through Central Pollution Control Board and the state board," said a statement issued by the state board.

The board said it monitors the air ambient quality through sophisticated Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations at four places in the city. "The quality data generated from these monitoring stations are recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board, ministry of environment and forests. The technology used in these stations is approved by USEPA and the government of India," it said.

The IQAir report on Tuesday said Guwahati was found to be the second highest polluted city in Central and South Asia 2023 with average PM2.5 concentration of 105.4 microgram per cubic meter. It said Begusarai in Bihar was found to be the most polluted city.

"The misleading news is creating panic among the people in the state. The PCBA hereby clarifies that there is no need to panic as the air pollution level in Guwahati is absolutely under control than reported level by the IQAir," it said.

The board said the matter has been taken up with the Assam government and the Centre. "The poor quality air (as portrayed by the report) would have a far-reaching manifestation in normal life , activities of citizens, health of citizens, which have not been observed anywhere in Guwahati. PCBA requests Guwahati citizens to carry on with their normal activities without any fear and dismiss such unscientific and absurd reports," said the PCBA statement issued by Shantanu Kumar Dutta, a member secretary.