GUWAHATI: Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati has signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA) under the National Clean
Air Program (NCAP) launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEF&CC). This initiative is taken to curb air pollution in
the identified cities – Guwahati, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sibsagar and Silchar where
particulate matter levels (PM10) exceed the annual average ambient air quality
standards.
The MoU was signed between Professor Shared Gokhale, Department of Civil
Engineering, IIT Guwahati and Dr D N Das, Member Secretary of PCBA along with
other officials from IIT Guwahati and the PCBA. The city-specific interventions
and action plans will be prepared, targeting about 20 to 30 per cent reduction
of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024, to be implemented by PCBA.
Professor Gokhale said, “The current levels of PM10 and PM2.5 in Guwahati and
other cities of Assam are alarming and show increasing trends. Asthmatic
condition among children is on the rise. In light of this, I welcome the move
of MoEF&CC as NCAP will create more awareness among the public and help
strengthen the capacity building activities to tackle particulate pollution in
the selected cities of Assam. IIT Guwahati is, therefore, committed to
extending technical assistance to the PCBA in improving the air quality
monitoring network and carrying out technical studies to develop a suitable
city-wise air quality management plan, which we will convert into an
implementable action plan for the selected cities of Assam.”