Our Dirty Towns

It is sad that several towns in the beautiful Northeastern region have found prominent positions on the list of the most polluted cities and towns in the country. The monthly air quality snapshot report released by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air has said that several cities and towns in the region have recorded hazardous air pollution levels. Byrnihat, in Meghalaya, has emerged as the most polluted city in the entire country. Nalbari, in Assam, has earned the dubious distinction of being the fifth most polluted city in February. The report has said that while Byrnihat recorded a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 183 µg/m3, it is around 60 µg/m3 higher than the country’s second-most polluted city of Araria in Bihar. The PM2.5 levels in Byrnihat were also nearly 1.8 times the PM2.5 concentration recorded for Delhi for the same period, which was the 14th most polluted city in India for February 2024. What is even more disgusting is the fact that Agartala, Guwahati, and Nagaon have also found themselves among the top thirty most polluted cities in the country during the month of February 2024. While Agartala is in the 12th position, Guwahati is in the 19th position, and Nagaon is in the 28th position. This pollution is not a gift from God or nature. Rather, this pollution is the creation of the people. While the common people have contributed by throwing garbage, particularly plastic, and pollution all over without any concern for cleanliness and health, various business concerns running factories that manufacture various kinds of goods have contributed by way of releasing all kinds of industrial smoke and gas, most of which are dangerous for the health of humans as well as all living beings, including trees and plants. The name of the pollution control authorities in each of the Northeastern states must also take a portion of the blame and responsibility upon themselves for failing to take effective steps to check the dangerous increase in pollution. Equally responsible are the municipal corporations, boards, and town committees, including their officers and elected representatives. There is hardly any example or evidence of these civic bodies and the elected representatives running these civic bodies having taken any proactive step to generate awareness among the citizens to keep the towns and cities clean and pollution-free. Educational institutions have also failed in their duty to shape young minds to become responsible citizens. Also to blame are the parents who do not inculcate the habit of cleanliness among their children.