Guwahati is the second most polluted city, according to the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report for 2023 released on Tuesday.

India is the third most polluted country in the world vis-a-vis air pollution after Bangladesh and Pakistan and is also home to four of the five most polluted cities globally. The four cities based on their air quality ranking are Begusarai (Bihar), Guwahati (Assam), Delhi and Mullanpur (Punjab).

The Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA), however, contested the air quality data of Guwahati in a clarification released on Wednesday evening, describing the report as misleading, contradictory and absurd while urging Guwahati residents not to worry.

The PCBA is a statutory organisation formed in 1975 for the protection of the environment and for preventing and controlling the pollution of water and air in the state.

The PCBA claimed the record of Guwahati air quality data “generated 24/7 for 365 days through sophisticated” the Continuous Ambient Air Control Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) at four locations (Bamunimaidam, Cotton University, airport and IIT Guwahati), reflects average monthly PM2.5 concentration at 52.8 µg/m3 with maximum concentration of 98.3 µg/m3 in July and minmum concentratiion of 22.62 µg/m3 in January in 2023. The average PM concentration in 2022 was 52.61µg/m3 .

“These data contradict the report of the IQAir, whose data source is not known. As per the IQAir report, the average PM 2.5 concentration in Guwahati... is almost reported at 200% more than the actual recorded value by the
government of India through the CPCB and state boards,” the PCBA said.

The PCBA also said very poor quality air would have “far-reaching manifestation in normal life” of citizens which have “not been observed anywhere in Guwahati”.

The PCBA then requested Guwahati residents “to carry out their normal activities without any fear and dismiss such unscientific and absurd reports.”

On the other hand, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, seeking reelection from Jorhat, took to X to reveal that he had written multiple letters to the chief minister to take “corrective” steps.

His post said: “Guwahati is the second most polluted city, as per the data shared by World Air Quality Report 2023 recently. The alarming rise in pollution is endangering health of citizens. Children and elderly are especially vulnerable to its impact. As convenor of the Parliamentarians’ Group on Clean Air, I have written to the Assam Chief Minister multiple times to take corrective action.”

“The double engine sarkar has no concern for alarming levels of pollution — a slow poison for millions of citizens,” Gogoi posted on X.

Guwahati-based activist and journalist Paresh Malakar attributed the rising air pollution in Guwahati to “growing and unscientific construction” of highways, roads, drains and flyovers in recent years besides the rise in the number of vehicles on the roads.

The government needs to take appropriate action before it is too late, he added.

The global survey, conducted by IQAir, a Swiss technology company, analysed PM2.5 data from more than 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,812 locations in 134 countries, territories, and regions were analysed by the company’s air quality
scientists.