Guwahati air pollution is worsening why? Answer by NGT

Guwahati: Among several factors, Guwahati’s deteriorating air quality is linked to the inaction of various state government departments in Assam, according to a National Green Tribunal judgement.

According to an affidavit by the Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA), when it sought action reports from various departments, including the Chief Secretary of Assam, on the action plan as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the departments did so.
Himanshu Nath, a resident of Guwahati, approached the NGT in 2022 with concerns that the city was one of the most polluted cities in Northeast India. They cited examples of severe to poor air quality in the city, blaming dust emissions, biomass burning, and vehicular pollution for the rise in PM2.5 and PM10 levels.
PM10 refers to particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less, while PM2.5 refers to particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, both solid and liquid particles suspended in the air.

In his petition, Nath said that particulate matter in the air is causing acute lung diseases, acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory problems among the residents of Guwahati.
The Unclaimed City
Nath also cited that around one million vehicles are unfit to ply on the city’s roads, and 8.42 lakh vehicles are plying without pollution clearance certificates, contributing to heavy vehicular pollution in the city. Moreover, he added that dust generated as a result of construction of new flyovers and expansion of highways contributes significantly to particulate matter (PM) in Guwahati.
Nath also pointed out that PCBA’s action plan, in response to CPCB directives for ‘non-attainment’ cities and towns in Assam, identified PM 10 as a major air pollutant because It exceeded the prescribed limit throughout Assam. PCBA identified road dust and vehicular pollution as major contributors to air pollution.

In 2019, the central government, recognizing the growing threat of air pollution in Indian cities, launched the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) identifies a list of polluted cities that violate the standards set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) 2009, also known as “non-attainment cities and towns”. . The identification was based on ambient air quality data obtained under the National Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP) during the period 2011-2015.
The NGT observed that under the NCAP launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, a total of Rs 5.12 crore has been released to Guwahati City during 2019-20 to 2021-22 and activities in 3.97 crore has been utilized so far. such as installation of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS), source apportionment studies, emissions inventory and capacity building and mass awareness programs through Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati.
The Guwahati Municipal Corporation also filed an affidavit stating that it has proposed ₹7.35 crore to buy excavators and trucks to clean the city’s drainage under the NCAP.
Earlier in 2018, the NGT had directed state governments to set up Air Quality Monitoring Committees (AQMCs) to prepare air quality action plans for non-attainment cities, with the aim of taking action. To meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) within six months of finalization. Plan As per this directive, an AQMC was established for Assam on 19 December 2018.
This committee was to work under the overall supervision and coordination of the Additional Chief Secretary of the state. The committee prepared an action plan to control air pollution in five non-attainment cities of Assam, namely Guwahati, Sivasagar, Silchar, Nalbari and Nagaon.
Lost road maps
According to PCBA’s affidavit, ‘Dust Management in Urban Regions – A Roadmap’, along with AQMC’s action plan, was prepared by PCBA. The Assam Pollution Control Authority said that Guwahati’s environmental problems were identified and a specific road map was issued to reduce air pollution.

On January 2, 2020, PCBA sent a letter to the Commissioner and Secretary of Assam, Guwahati Municipal Corporation, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority, Industries and Commerce Department, National Highway Authority of India, heads of all urban local bodies and all districts of Assam. The letter directed all the authorities to make necessary arrangements as per the road map to take care of dust management at various levels. The said authorities were required to submit an action report which would be sent to the CPCB.
PCBA said in its affidavit that till date not a single department has submitted its action report.

A bench headed by Justice B. Amit Stalkar and expert member Prof. A. Senthalval, however, ruled that the measures taken by the Assam government as well as the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) were not enough to deal with the severity of the disease. Air pollution in Guwahati
The NGT has asked the Chief Secretary of Assam to ensure that all concerned authorities prepare an action report for dust management and comply with PCBA’s letter directives from January 2, 2020. . It also ordered that all construction activities such as flyovers and highway widening be completed by December 31, 2023.The bench directed the Chief Secretary of Assam to inform the GMC Commissioner, Commissioner and Secretary, Public Works Department, Government of Assam, Chief Executive Officer, Guwahati, GMDA, Assam Industries and Commerce Department, National Highway Authority of Head a committee comprising India. and the Principal Secretary of the Civil Local Bodies of Assam among other members and such other member as the Chief Secretary as may be deemed fit in the circumstances of the case.
The NGT directed that the committee will regularly monitor the completion of all works/projects mentioned in the affidavits of the GMC and the Government of Assam and also regularly monitor the air quality in Guwahati city as well as other cities. will Assam to ensure that the air quality meets the National Air Quality Index norms. It has asked the committee to file a compliance affidavit in the NGT by January 15, 2024.
According to legal advocate Vikram Rajkhwa, who represented Nath in the NGT, the NGT order is a step in the right direction. “We at least have a timeline to address the critical air pollution issues,” Rajkhwa told to Media.