Hyderabad breathes easy as air quality improves during Sankranti

The data by Central Pollution Control Board during the period showed improved air quality at several busy areas in Hyderabad even though the cold kept a steady grip

Hyderabad: With scores of families heading to their native villages before Sankranti and most private vehicles going off the roads, key air pollutants dropped on days leading up to the festival.

The city wore a near-deserted look for at least two days with several corporate and government employees showing a pattern of taking leaves on either side of the Sankranti weekend. The data by Central Pollution Control Board during the period showed improved air quality at several busy areas in Hyderabad even though the cold kept a steady grip. The PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels, too, were under the safe limit.

---

Sanathnagar, the most polluted locality in the city, breathed good enough air on the day of the festival (January 15). A similar situation prevailed in other areas like Nacharam, Malakpet, Kokapet, Khairatabad, Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad Central University, and ICRISAT.

Sanathnagar, which had recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 173 on January 10, logged 60 on January 15. At Khairatabad, the AQI level went from 90 on January 10 to 75 on January 15. Pollution readings at Zoo Park, which usually inch closer to a very severe level, fell to normal. If the AQI value was 313 on January 10, it was 166 on January 15.

On January 10, Pashamylaram, Bollaram, and ICRISAT areas recorded nearly 300 AQI levels. However, it dropped below the 100-mark on the day of the festival.

However, at ECIL, a marginal increase was witnessed with the AQI level reaching 74 on January 10. It spiked to 90 on January 15. Over the past five years, air pollution has been witnessing a downward trend during Sankranti. Last year, during this period, the air quality was good in almost all the areas. In 2021 too, the pollution dipped during the fest.

However, with a dip in temperatures expected in the coming days and most people returning to the city, pollution levels may again shoot up. Hyderabad could record a minimum temperature between 15 and 17 degrees Celsius during the next three days.

AQI monitoring chart pegs an AQI between 0 and 50 as ‘Good’, between 51 and 100 is considered ‘Satisfactory’, between 101 and 200 is termed ‘Moderate’, between 201 and 300 is regarded ‘Poor’, reading between 301-400 is ‘Very Poor’ and an AQI beyond 400 is labelled as ‘Severe’.