Putting an end to pollution is their aim

S Vishnu Sharmaa, INN/Chennai, @Svs037

Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA). Sources, say the pact was signed under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) which was launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF and CC) to tackle air pollution in the cities of Guwahati, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sibsagar and Silchar in Assam.

Professor Sharad Gokhale from Department of Civil Engineering at IIT-G and Dr. D.N. Das, Member Secretary of PCBA signed the MoU on behalf of both the organisations.

MoU aims to prepare city-specific interventions and action plans, targeting about 20 to 30 percent reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024, to be implemented by PCBA.

IIT Guwahati is the technical partner and will assist PCBA in carrying out air pollution studies like identifying critical sources, building state-of-the-art air quality monitoring networks and investigating mitigations in the five identified cities and implementing them with the help of PCBA.

Sharad 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 MoEFandCC 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-G 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, said Sharad Gokhale.