Assessment of urban air quality in Guwahati city, India using air quality index

Pollution of the air is one of the primary problems in Indian cities. Various studies in recent time have put Guwahati among the most polluted city not only in India but in the world. The analysis of the ambient air quality data from 2004 till 2010 shows that the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) in almost all the monitoring stations in Guwahati is alarmingly high, beyond the prescribed standards set by the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program in India. The Air Quality Index for Guwahati falls under the very unhealthy category wherein, the general public is at greater risk and the groups are at greatest risk. An increase in vehicular pollution is the primary causes of air pollution in Guwahati along with dust pollution and exhaust from the brick kiln industries.