HYDERABAD: IF the monsoon rains had brought a little respite to the residents of Bolarum, it is already a thing of past. With even the Pollution Control Board (PCB) officials admitting that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the region was less than satisfactory, complaints regarding the ever-increasing air pollution in the area are rife. Citizens, even from other parts of the city, are not shying away from pointing out Bolarum’s worsening state. The major reasons for the situation are being cited as bad roads, round-the-clock traffic and large-scale constructions.
“The pollution is evident even to the naked eye. Many a time, the roads are so engulfed in dust that we struggle to walk on the road,” said Vishnu Mori, a Gachibowli resident. There are no air quality monitoring stations to check the AQI levels in these areas. “Constantly inhaling these dust particles can cause major damage to the health of those living in the region.
It could lead to various allergies as well. This could go from a simple common cold to even asthma or other severe lung diseases,” said Dr Madhusudhan, Head of the Critical Care Unit, Care Hospital. He added that there has been an increase in respiratory diseases in the last few years, due to the rapidly increasing pollution levels.
Meanwhile, according to a PCB official, the pollution level had been lower during the past month due to incessant rains. “There are a lot of construction activities (malls, apartments, flyovers, etc) going on in the region, which would also lead to an increase in the concentration of dust particles. So understandably, the AQI will pick up a higher rating,” he said. He added that the cantonment board was taking up awareness campaigns and workshops to curb the increasing pollution in the city.