Guwahati Air Quality 'very poor': Central Pollution Control Board

STAFF REPORTER GUWAHATI:

Air Quality Guwahati Today Live: The air quality of the State's capital city is now worse than Delhi and other metros in the country. The 'Air Quality Index' (AQI) in Guwahati shot up to 346 on Monday. As per the yardsticks of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI of 346 is considered as "Very Poor". If the present trend continues, the AQI of the State's capital city will be more than 400 ("Severe" category) by the end of this week. If the AQI increases beyond 300, people may also develop serious respiratory illness on prolonged exposure to such air conditions. If the AQI becomes "Severe", even healthy people can develop respiratory illness and it could have serious health consequences on people with existing illness.

AQI between 101 and 200 is considered "moderate" followed by "poor" (201-300 AQI), "very poor" (301-400 AQI), and "severe" (401 & above AQI).

According to the CPCB, the AQI in Delhi was in the "Poor" category on Monday. Guwahati's neighbouring cities such as Kolkata, Agartala and Aizawl have "Moderate" air quality. Of 129 cities where the CPCB monitors the air quality on a daily basis, three cities namely Guwahati, Moradabad (in Uttar Pradesh) and Siliguri (in West Bengal) were placed in the "Very Poor" category on Monday. Udupi, a city in Karnataka, has been placed in the "Severe" category.

With long rainless condition, the air quality in Guwahati air has deteriorated due to dust and emissions from vehicles and industries. "Polluted air directly impacts lungs. Poor lungs may make the people more vulnerable to Coronavirus infection and the resultant complications like breathlessness and oxygen saturation," said an expert at the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA).

The expert further said that in case there is moderate to heavy rain during the coming days, dust and emissions produced mainly by vehicles will subside; and the AQI might improve in the city.

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