Alarming air pollution creates respiratory problems in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Air pollution, mainly due to dust, reached an alarming level in Guwahati on Tuesday, leading to breathing problems among some sections of the population, mostly children.

According to scientist Sanjay Shaw of the Regional Metrology Centre in Guwahati, the layer of dust in Guwahati is becoming denser, leading to a rise in the nighttime temperature. “It is a level that creates respiratory problems,” he said.

According to official records, AQI (Air Quality Indices) on Tuesday were 348 in Panbazar, 347 in the Railway Colony, and 339 in the airport area. The moderate AQI ranges from 51 to 100. The air pollution in Guwahati is now in the ‘very poor’ category.

Child specialist Dr Diganta Barman said, “We have noticed the effect of the increasing air pollution in and around Guwahati on children. Thirty-six paediatric patients were treated at the GMCH (Gauhati Medical College and Hospital) in the past 24 hours. Exposure to high ozone levels in the air can cause sore throats, coughing, lung inflammation, etc.”

According to sources in the PCBA (Pollution Control Board, Assam), the rise in air pollution in Guwahati is due to dust particles, including road dust and dust from construction sites. Unlike Delhi, pollution in Guwahati from smoke is less, barring the areas with brick kilns.

A common scene in Guwahati is that either side of roads and lanes has layers of sand. Some departments dig out roads for various works like laying pipelines or erecting electric posts, but they seldom restore the spots to their original conditions. Such shoddy work on the part of the departments also leads to the accumulation of dust particles on roads.

The norm goes that people constructing buildings, small or big ones, should keep their sites covered with wide clothes. However, few people follow this practice. The outcome is that Guwahati looks like foggy, not with fog but with dust particles, for the past two days.

A few areas in Guwahati witnessed very light rainfall today. However, the people in the metropolitan city will not get any respite from the alarming pollution level unless there is a smart shower.

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