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With an aim to tackle air pollution in the state, the Indian Institute of Guwahati (IIT-G) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA).

The MoU was inked under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

NCAP was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

The programme was launched to tackle air pollution in various parts of Assam including Guwahati, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar and Silchar.

“The identified cities and town have particle levels (PM10) exceeding the annual average (60 micrograms per cubic meter) ambient air quality standards,” an IIT-G release stated.

“The primary aim of the MoU would be to prepare city-specific interventions and action plans, targeting about 20 to 30 per cent reduction of PM 2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 and will be implemented by the PCBA,” the release added.

IIT-G will assist PCBA in carrying out air pollution studies, which include identifying critical sources, building state-of-the-art air quality monitoring networks, and investigating mitigations in five cities.