HYDERABAD: Telangana Pollution Control Board (PCB) said it has begun making plans to reduce and regulate air pollution in the state. The development was discussed in a meeting in which PCB Member Secretary Ravi Gugulothu raised the issue with the officials on Wednesday.
Sources said the board has sought reports from other states to learn about their measures for reducing air pollution. “We will study the reports and prepare a comprehensive plan for controlling air pollution in the state. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in some parts of the state is at an alarming stage. Recently, Forest and Environment Minister Konda Surekha instructed us to prepare plans,” an official told TNIE and added that the PCB wants the industries and other mining companies to comply with pollution norms.
Meanwhile, the officials predict that the air quality will likely deteriorate during winter due to various reasons.
The sources said the board found heavy air pollution in the areas of large-scale mining activities. The PCB has identified four areas where the AQI is of poor quality. Officials said Patancheru, an industrial area, Tandur, Parigi and some parts of Nalgonda district, where there are a lot of mining activities, are experiencing poor AQI.
According to AccuWeather portal, in areas like Patancheru and Nalgonda, the AQI is 105 and 100 respectively (unhealthy category). In Tandur, the AQI is 75 (poor category).
The data suggests that except for 10-15 days (from June to September), the AQI in Hyderabad was marked in a good category. However, from the first week of October, the air quality has been deteriorating in the city.