Hyderabad sees significant improvement in winter air quality

Hyderabad saw a significant improvement in its winter PM2.5 levels compared to the previous year.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad has experienced a notable shift in its winter air quality, as revealed by the independent think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report, covering the period between October 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, highlights crucial insights into the city’s pollution levels, particularly focusing on PM2.5 concentrations.

According to the CSE’s findings, Hyderabad saw a significant improvement in its winter PM2.5 levels compared to the previous year. The average winter PM2.5 level for Hyderabad stood at 43.6 µg/m³, which represents a decrease of 7 per cent compared to the previous winter period.

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Additionally, the winter peak PM2.5 level in Hyderabad was recorded at 99 µg/m³, showcasing a substantial decline and indicating a 35 per cent reduction compared to the previous winter’s peak.

While Hyderabad’s progress in curbing winter pollution is noteworthy, the CSE report also sheds light on the broader air quality landscape in South India. Among the 46 cities in the region equipped with real-time monitoring and sufficient data for winter air quality analysis, Gummidipoondi in Tamil Nadu emerged as the most polluted city in South India in terms of PM2.5 levels during the winter period.

Gummidipoondi recorded a winter average PM2.5 level of 83.4 µg/m³, indicating a concerning level of pollution, with the winter peak PM2.5 level reaching 191 µg/m³. Following closely behind Gummidipoondi, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh ranked as the second most polluted city in the region during winter, with a winter average PM2.5 level of 73.3 µg/m³ and a winter peak of 156 µg/m³.