With PM 2.5 levels at an alarming 8.2 times more than the safe levels as
prescribed by the World Health Organisation, Hyderabad is the most air
polluted city among other cities in south India.
Greenpeace India, which analysed the PM 2.5 levels in the city for a period of
365 days, said in a report that the high air pollution levels can have a negative
long-term health impact on citizens.
The alarming levels of PM 2.5 concentrations are found to be recorded on 300
days, which stood at 81.97 percent in Hyderabad on all the days. When it comes to average PM10 pollutant levels, Hyderabad recorded 57.84 ug/m3. This
amounts to being 3.9 times the safe levels (15 ug/m3). The report retrieved
records of PM10 levels in the city on 237 days and found that the average is 3.9
times more than safe levels (15 ug/m3).
When it comes to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollutant levels, the average levels
over the course of 337 days stood at 17.05 ug.m3. This amounts to 1.7 times the
safe levels (10 ug/m3) as per WHO guidelines. Hyderabad recorded hazardous
levels of No2 pollution on 53 days on record which accounted for 15.73
percent.
