Hyderabad: The capital city of Telangana, Hyderabad which was known for its gardens and lakes has turned into ‘urban heat island’ (UHI). It happened due to urbanization which has not only destroyed greenery of the city but also polluted water bodies.
According to the report published in Telangana Today, a study on UHI revealed that the effect of heat island can increase the temperature of the area by one to three degree Celsius.
As per Environmentalist Prof K Purushottam Reddy, the city is facing a rise in temperature as it lost the cooling effect of the water bodies too.
Another reason for the rise in temperature could be the increase in high rise buildings. It is the known fact that buildings prevent heat from escaping to upper layers of the atmosphere.
It may be mentioned the average temperature in Nehru Zoological Park is one to three degrees Celsius less than the temperature in other parts of the city. This is due to the trees and water bodies present in the park.
It may be noted that water bodies reduce the temperature of the surrounding through evaporation.
What is Urban Heat Island?
It is an urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities.