Noise, air pollution levels spike in Hyderabad on Diwali day

Hyderabad recorded a sharp increase in air and noise pollution during Diwali celebrations, with PM2.5 levels up by 86 per cent and PM10 by 68 per cent. While gaseous pollutants remained within permissible limits, noise levels spiked across industrial, commercial, and residential zones

Hyderabad: As the city celebrated Diwali on Monday, the noise levels and particulate matter concentrations rose sharply compared to normal day levels.

According to Telangana Pollution Control Board, which took up special purpose Diwali ambient air quality monitoring from October 13 to 20, recorded a rise in both PM2.5 and PM10 concentration this Diwali day.

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The PCB data shows the PM2.5 concentrations rise by 86 per cent on Monday compared to a normal day, though it was less compared to the 2024 Diwali, when the concentration rose by 91 per cent. The PM10 concentrations on Monday went up by 68.13 per cent, while last year’s festival day as against 65.76 per cent rise recorded last Diwali.

The monitoring of gases showed the Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) increasing on Monday compared to normal day recording but the rise was within the standards prescribed.

The PCB recordings of noise levels in different zones showed a spurt on the day of Diwali festival, but the same were less compared to last year.

On Monday, the noise levels in industrial areas were 3.1 dB higher in daytime and 6.2 dB higher in nighttime when compared with pre-Diwali recordings and in commercial areas, the levels during Diwali increased by 2.5dB in the day and by 3.97 dB at night compared to normal day.

In the residential areas, the noise levels increased by 1.6dB during the day and 3.7dB during nighttime when compared with normal day and in the sensitive area, noise levels rose by 1.1dB in day and 4dB during nighttime, the PCB said.