Air quality dips in capital

Constructions and demolition waste are among the largest contributors to air pollution in Hyderabad. Factories exhaust and garbage burnings bear equal share in fouling our air.

Air quality in the city has seen a continuous deterioration. However, a comparison with the previous data of air quality index is not alarming yet, say Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) officials.

Air pollution data as per the TSPCB shows a hike across various parameters and locations. But, if the prevention measures are not followed, the condition might go out of hands, says an environmental scientist. "We have an eye round-the-clock on monitoring the air quality.

The sustainable rise in the pollution levels are observed and studied annually. We have special teams to monitor and implement the functional measures to control the pollution, though there are no alarming proportions as per the reports. We request citizens to become aware and be cautious about threats to environment. There is a need to maintain vehicular pollution checks from time to time. It would help more, if people take care to control smoke emission from their vehicles periodically," says N Murali Mohan, the Joint Chief Environmental Scientist at PCB.

The particulate matter recorded in industrial residential areas showed an increase in PM2.5 from 76ug/m3 (micro gram per cubic meter) to 86ug/m3, which is 10ug/m3 above the prescribed standards. In the case of PM10, the rise in pollution has gone up from 146.96ug/m3 to 185ug/m3, which is 35ug/m3 above the prescribed standards as per April 26,2019 data analysis. The changes in the wind speed and direction impact these results frequently. As per the latest source of apportionment reports, construction waste, industrial exhaust and vehicular exhaust are the main contributors to the air pollution in the city.