Guwahati: Guwahati’s worsening air quality, marked by particulate matter levels frequently breaching national standards since 2017, has prompted the launch of the city’s first hotspot-based Clean Air Action Plan.
The plan was released on Wednesday by the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST) in collaboration with the Assam Pollution Control Board (APCB), and is aimed at addressing pollution through ward-level identification of high-emission zones.
Officials said the plan has been developed using detailed mapping to pinpoint where air pollution is most concentrated and to recommend targeted interventions.
Guwahati’s rapid urban expansion, rising vehicle numbers, construction activity, waste burning and industrial growth have been identified as key contributors to deteriorating air quality.
The city’s bowl-shaped geography, hemmed in by the Khasi Hills and the Brahmaputra river, further restricts the dispersion of pollutants.
Data between 2017 and 2022 shows a consistent rise in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ levels.
Speaking at the launch, iFOREST chief executive officer Chandra Bhushan said air pollution carries a significant economic burden, accounting for an estimated 3 to 5 per cent of GDP due to its impact on public health and productivity.
He said the immediate priority should be to meet existing air quality standards and described the Guwahati Clean Air Action Plan as a comprehensive attempt to do so through locally tailored solutions.
APCB chairman Arup Kumar Misra said air pollution was once unheard of in Guwahati but has emerged as a serious concern due to prolonged dry spells, large-scale infrastructure projects, increasing traffic and dust resuspension.
He underlined that public cooperation would be crucial for any pollution control effort to succeed and said the board remained open to continued dialogue as the plan is implemented, with technical support from iFOREST.
Satellite-based analysis carried out for the study shows clear seasonal pollution hotspots across the city.
During summer, high pollution levels are concentrated along the silted Brahmaputra riverbanks, floodplains, construction-intensive wards and major traffic corridors where road dust is easily resuspended.
In winter, the hotspots expand across central and eastern Guwahati as poor atmospheric dispersion combines with emissions from residential heating, waste burning, commercial cooking and heavy traffic.
Commercial corridors such as Fancy Bazar, Ganeshguri, Beltola, Zoo Road Tiniali, Maligaon and Lokhra consistently record elevated pollution levels due to clusters of restaurants, tea stalls and informal food vendors.
Major markets and transport hubs including Paltan Bazar, Bhangagarh, Uzan Bazar, Six Mile, Azara and Jalukbari also show high PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ concentrations linked to continuous cooking activity and congestion.
Prevailing winds further transport pollutants towards the northeast, intensifying hotspot formation.
The study identifies open waste burning as one of the most visible and damaging sources of pollution.
Guwahati generates about 884 tonnes of municipal waste daily, but only around 35 per cent is processed, leaving a large volume that is dumped or burned.
Surveys estimate nearly 61 tonnes of waste are burned every day, contributing significantly to particulate and black carbon emissions, while the city’s landfill emits thousands of tonnes of methane annually.
Residential cooking and winter heating are also major contributors, particularly in slum areas and hill settlements where biomass, charcoal and kerosene continue to be used despite high LPG coverage.
Commercial cooking using coal and charcoal adds to evening pollution in market areas.
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Transport emissions are driven by the dominance of private vehicles, congestion, ageing fleets and weak enforcement of pollution norms, while diesel generator sets used during power outages and emissions from brick kilns, stone crushers and other industries further add to the pollution load.
The Clean Air Action Plan recommends phased, hotspot-specific measures, including eliminating open waste burning through improved collection and decentralised processing, accelerating the shift to cleaner fuels for households and commercial kitchens, strengthening transport management and public transport, controlling construction and road dust, upgrading industrial fuels and technologies, and expanding air quality monitoring.
It also stresses the need for stronger community engagement to improve waste segregation and discourage open burning, noting that segregation levels in the city remain low.
The plan’s authors said its success would depend on coordinated action by government agencies, industry and citizens, with sustained monitoring and enforcement to bring down pollution levels across Guwahati.
