Alarming air pollution levels in Northeast cities, Byrnihat most polluted: CREA report

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has revealed the alarming levels of air pollution in Northeast Indian cities in its monthly air quality snapshot for February 2024. 

Byrnihat, situated on the Meghalaya and Assam border, was identified as the most polluted city in India, recording a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 183 µg/m3. This figure is approximately 60 µg/m3 more than the second most polluted city, Araria in Bihar. 

The PM2.5 levels in Byrnihat were also nearly 1.8 times the PM2.5 concentration recorded for Delhi in the same period. Other Northeastern cities on the list of 30 most polluted cities included Nalbari, Agartala, Guwahati and Nagaon. 

Out of 11 cities with Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in northeastern states, six exceeded the daily National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 

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On a brighter note, Sivasagar, Silchar, Aizawl, and Imphal were the cleanest cities in the region. 

Sivasagar was the second cleanest city in India, followed by Silchar at the 23rd spot. However, none of these cities met the WHO-safe guideline concentrations for PM2.5. 

Sunil Dahiya, a South Asia Analyst at CREA, stressed the need for improved air quality monitoring and aggressive measures to curb pollution emissions in the northeastern states, given the significant threats they pose to public health and the economy.

Dahiya noted that these states, once renowned for their pristine environment, are now witnessing a concerning shift due to unregulated industrial operations, inadequate public transportation infrastructure, rampant construction lacking efficient pollution control measures, and other contributing factors. The escalating pollution levels pose significant threats to public health and the region's economy. 

Dahiya underscored the urgency of implementing aggressive measures to mitigate pollution emissions at their source, thereby safeguarding both public health and the economic well-being of the region.