Telangana Air Quality Worsens; Hyderabad, Other Major Cities Post Rise In Pollution Levels

Hyderabad: As winter sets in, along with dip in temperature, air quality is also declining sharply in major cities of Telangana, the data of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) suggests. As per the daily bulletin of the Board, pollution levels are rising each passing day. Experts said situation could worsen if similar conditions persist.

Tuesday's evening bulletin of CPCB, which records air quality throughout the day at monitoring centres in 254 cities and towns across the country, showed a notable rise in pollution in cities including Hyderabad, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.

In Hyderabad, the Air Quality Index (AQI) rose from 68 on November 5 to 102 on November 11. Some monitoring stations reported much higher local readings. The AQI at Zoopark stood at 164, at Ikrisat it was 142, and at IDA Pashamilaram the AQI was 136. These figures place parts of the city in the "moderate to poor" range, which is likely to cause discomfort for people with respiratory or heart conditions.

Doctors explained that colder air helps dust and smoke to stay as low as about 5-6 feet off the ground, hence particles are easily inhaled and can damage the lungs. Short-term effects include difficulty in breating, coughing and irritation; while long-term or repeated exposure may raise the risk of more serious respiratory diseases.

Senior Professor Dr GK Paranjyoti suggested, "If the weather is extremely cold, one should stay indoors. It is better to go out when the sun is up. If necessary, people should wear a good mask. Those with chronic health problems like asthma and COPD should take great care. And those using inhalers should use them regularly."

"Smokers should give up smoking as the lung's defense system is weak in cold weather. When temperatures drop, dust particles in the air remain at a height of 5-6 feet. When you breathe in the air, they go inside and damage the lungs. Sometimes there is a risk of pneumonia as well. People with chronic lung problems should get the influenza vaccine once a year and the pneumococcal vaccine every five years," he advised.

Health Advice From GK Paranjyoti

(i) Stay indoors on very cold days; go out once the sun is up.

(ii) Wear a good-quality mask when necessary.

(iii) People with chronic lung problems such as asthma or COPD should be extra careful and use inhalers as prescribed.

(iv) Get annual influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine every five years if you have chronic lung disease.

(v) Smokers should consider quitting to reduce additional risk.

AQI Categories (standard bands used to grade air quality)

• Good (0-50): Air quality poses little or no risk.
• Satisfactory (51-100): Children, elderly and those with lung problems may experience some discomfort.
• Medium/Moderate (101-200): People with lung and heart issues may experience difficulty in breathing.
• Poor (201-300): Many people experience respiratory problems; long exposures may lead to long-term health problems.
• Very Poor (301-400): There's a high risk of respiratory illness if exposure continues.
• Severe (401-500): Air is extremely dangerous; may trigger serious health issues in all age groups.

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