Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s air quality was in the satisfactory category until October 10. It has started falling since October 11 due to the weakening of the monsoon.
According to Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) figures, the Air Quality Index (AQI), which indicates the level of air pollution, has started increasing since October 11.
The AQI of Hyderabad was below 100, Satisfactory Category, throughout the monsoon as due to rainfall, pollutants in the air get washed away resulting in an improvement in air quality. However, on Thursday, it has jumped to 125, Moderate Category.
At five out of six monitoring stations in the city, the pollutants, Particulate Matter (PM) 10 and PM 2.5, were higher.
TOI quoted a senior official from TSPCB saying that the pollution level increased due to the weakening of monsoon and an increase in industrial & construction activities.
Earlier, during the lockdown in the State, the air quality of Hyderabad had improved from ‘moderate’ to ‘good’. However, as soon as the lockdown was lifted, the quality had dropped.
What is AQI?
AQI reports the air quality of a particular area. There are six categories based on AQI value, they are Good (AQI 0–50), Satisfactory (AQI 51–100), Moderate (AQI 101–200), Poor (AQI 201–300), Very poor (AQI 301–400), and Severe (AQI 401–500).
Increased vehicular traffic, construction work, resumption of MMTS, etc., can be blamed for the fall in Hyderabad’s air quality.