HT Digital,
Guwahati, March 20: The Assam Pollution Control Board (APCB) has refuted recent reports that labelled Guwahati as the world’s second most polluted city, terming them as incorrect and not grounded on legitimate sources.
The statement was released by Dr. Shantanu Kumar Dutta, Secretary of APCB, who dispelled the misleading information about Guwahati’s air quality. The report, issued by IQAir, a Swiss-based air quality technology firm, allegedly placed Guwahati as the second most polluted city in Central and South Asia based on the average PM2.5 concentration in 2023.
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Guwahati’s PM2.5 concentration was reported to be as high as 105.4 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, exceeding even Delhi’s pollution levels. However, APCB disputes these allegations, referring to government data showing an average air quality index (AQI) of around 52 for both 2022 and 2023.
APCB stresses that Guwahati’s air pollution is under control, according to data from Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) located across the city. These stations, sanctioned by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Government of India, continuously monitor and record air quality data.
These statistics show an average monthly PM2.5 concentration of 52.8 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, contradicting the inflated figures reported by IQAir. APCB has also notified both the Assam Government and the Union Government about the misleading IQAir report, encouraging Guwahati citizens to continue their daily activities without fear and to ignore such baseless reports.
The board emphasises the importance of relying on authentic government data for accurate information about air quality in Guwahati and other cities.
