Hyderabad air turns toxic ahead of Diwali
Pollution Control Board finds increase in PM levels in air quality in recent checks.
Hyderabad: The Telangana State Pollution Control Board has found increased levels of particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air quality check, conducted in the run up to Diwali.
Sanath Nagar, an industrial-cum-residential area, saw the particulate matter 2.5 level spikes to 43 microgram per metre cube in October. At rush hours, the pollution level went up to 66 microgram per unit.
However, the Air Quality Index, a private air quality monitoring website, which gauges the pollution level according to the WHO standard, said that the pollution levels are highly unhealthy, especially at Begumpet where the air quality monitoring devices are placed at the US consulate.
They rated the air quality at 176 points on Saturday at 7:30 pm in the city whereas it was 150-160 range in Delhi, indicating a poor air quality in Hyderabad.
Experts said that this will aggravate as each cracker will add up to 10,000 micrograms of PM2.5.