GUWAHATI: Just when you thought that winter had gone for a toss, the temperature has suddenly dropped in the past few days in Guwahati. But it’s not just the drop in temperature, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city has also dropped significantly.
ALSO READ: Checklist Of Essentials For A Perfect Picnic
On January 9, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Guwahati hit 306, categorising it as 'very poor.' In specific areas like the IIT-G region, the AQI recorded 280, falling into the 'poor' category. The Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport also reported an air quality level of 278 AQI, again classified as 'poor.'
While talking to GPlus, Sanjay Shaw, Scientist-E Regional Meteorological Centre said, “In cloudy weather, the pollutants can’t escape into the layer of our atmosphere and gets trapped. Because of this the Air Quality is impacted in several areas.”
Guwahati is also experiencing slight 'smog' like conditions which is making it difficult for commuters playing on roads especially during early morning and late night.
"Since the last 2-3 days, the weather has been a little hazy in Guwahati and 'smog' like conditions are evident," Shaw further added.
As the city undergoes ongoing infrastructural developments, the AQI is predicted to further decline, resulting in a 'very poor' air quality situation akin to a smog in Guwahati, leading to challenges like low visibility. The surge in air pollution has contributed to a rise in respiratory ailments among the city's residents.
While talking to GPlus, a tea stall owner in Bhangagarh said, “It is difficult to sit throughtout day and night in this dust and cold. My children who come to help me has been suffering from continuous sneezing because of the dust”
“It gets difficult while plying the roads especially the highways at night with dust and fog, giving very low visibility,” a delivery agent said.
Although the day time temperature on January 9 was stable at 22 degrees Celsius, it is expected that the temperature will drop to 11 degrees Celsius at night, as reported by IMD. As Guwahati grapples with these climatic shifts, it can only be hope that the administration can take some step to help with the dust problems, which might significantly improve the air quality.
