HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday announced that the government will soon launch an air quality dashboard that will be accessible to the public. To ensure swift action on pollution complaints, special response teams will be piloted in two GHMC zones and based on results, expanded across the state, he said.
The deputy chief minister presided over a conference on “Air Quality Index and Air Quality Management”, organised by the Planning Department at the MCHRD Institute.
Addressing the gathering, Vikramarka said that the development and environmental protection cannot be positioned against each other, but must move forward hand in hand.
Stating that “true development is possible only with clean air”, he reaffirmed that the government is committed to providing a clean and healthy environment for the people of Hyderabad as well as the rest of the state.
“Global studies, including the 2024 State of Global Air Report, clearly highlight the seriousness of the issue. Today, air pollution has become the second leading cause of death worldwide, after high blood pressure, accounting for over eight million premature deaths annually. It severely impacts children, senior citizens, and the working population. According to a World Bank study, air pollution causes an annual loss of more than four trillion dollars to the global economy. Therefore, when we talk about clean air, we are talking about human lives, economic strength, and social well-being,” he said.
Vikramarka recalled that in 2025 the State Clean Air Action Plan was formulated to address key pollution sources such as vehicles, road dust, construction activities, industries and open burning.
He said that under the 2025 Renewable Energy Policy, a target of 20,000 MW by 2030 has been set through solar, wind and green hydrogen, and this will significantly reduce carbon emissions.
The deputy chief minister cited the Jeedimetla industrial area as an example and said that industries that were once on the outskirts of the city are now located amid residential zones.
“Similar situations exist in several industrial areas within the ORR limits and this poses serious risks to public safety and health,” he said.
“Industrial accidents in residential areas can turn into major disasters. Hence, industrial restructuring, zoning reforms and improved land-use planning must be examined seriously,” he added.