Guwahati, July 29: If the tourist taxi ban issue in Shillong was not enough to detract tourists, a new report on air quality might act as one more deterrent.
With people wanting to go to Shillong popularly known Scotland of East to beat the heat and also to get some fresh air, a report by AirVoice which works on global air quality challenges says though Shillong’s air quality was relatively better than industrial areas like Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) but worse than places like Gangtok (Sikkim) and Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala).
The study says as the holiday season arrives, people across India are planning their vacations. When choosing a destination, it’s important to remember the quality of the air we breathe. “Good air quality is essential for a healthy and pleasant travel experience, making it a crucial factor to consider” it says. The study was carried from January to June this year.
It says the study aims to compare the air quality in some of India’s most popular tourist spots and by analyzing air quality data, its wants to understand the environmental conditions in these regions and how they might affect tourists. “Our goal is to provide useful information for travelers who want to enjoy not only the beauty and adventure of their destinations but also a healthy environment” it adds.
The tourist destinations which were studied were Goa, Kerala(two destinations), Norheast India( three destinations- Shillong, Gangtok, Nagaon), Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, Srinagar in Kashmir and New Delhi.
The data was collected from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) website [2] for a six month period, from January 1, 2024, to July 1, 2024 (182 days). The data resolution was set to be 24 hours.
The analysis, conducted using data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) over the first six months of 2024, reveals that air quality in Shillong often fails to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
The findings revealed that Shillong experienced 20% of days where air quality parameters exceeded NAAQS limits, surpassing the allowable 2% threshold for incident days. It exceeded for Goa [9%], Northeast India (Shilong [20%], Nagaon [47%]), Himachal Pradesh (Baddi) [88%], and New Delhi [87%]
The main contributors to air pollution in Shillong are particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), which frequently exceeded recommended levels.
Among the studied locations, Shillong had an AQI of 34 in June 2024, indicating relatively better air quality compared to heavily polluted areas like New Delhi (AQI 108) but worse than Gangtok, Sikkim (AQI 14), the study says.
Founded in 2021, Airvoice develops and manufactures innovative software and hardware solutions for air quality
monitoring and management. The company has rapidly evolved to address global air quality challenges. It has collaborations, including partnerships with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the University of Arizona, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and many others, enhance Airvoice’s robust research in atmospheric physics and AI technology, establishing it at the forefront of the emerging clean air industry.
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