HYDERABAD: Hyderabad is ranked as the fourth-worst polluted city in India after New Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, according to the World Air Quality Report 2021 by IQAir, a Swiss-based air quality technology company.
The report analysed 6,475 cities in 117 countries, regions and territories. It finds that 97 per cent of global cities did not meet latest WHO air quality guidelines and no cities in India met the WHO air quality guideline of 5 µg/m³.
The data during the 2017-2021 period shows that Hyderabad exceeded the WHO’s guidelines by 5-10 times on an average, with the highest being 51 µg/m³ in 2017 and the least in 34.7 µg/m³ in 2020.
As on October 20, 2022, the air pollution level in the city was categorised unhealthy with Air Quality Index (AQI) of 155 and the main pollutant being Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5.
There are seven air quality stations located at different parts of Hyderabad. The stations located at the US Consulate recorded the highest AQI of 169 and the lowest was recorded at Central University with AQI of 96 on Saturday. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, air pollution has cost an estimated 8,900 deaths in Hyderabad in 2021.
Major sources of air pollution in India include vehicular emissions, power generation, industrial waste, biomass combustion for cooking, the construction sector, and episodic events like crop burning.
It is estimated that 20% to 35% of total urban PM 2.5 concentrations is directly or indirectly due to internal combustion engines in motor vehicles.
Air Quality Index at 155
The air pollution level in the city was categorised unhealthy with Air Quality Index (AQI) of 155 and the main pollutant being PM 2.5