Hyderabad: The winter chill has turned the air quality in Hyderabad unhealthy. It has deteriorated in all localities of the city.
With night temperatures declining in the city, the Air Quality Index (AQI), which is currently at a level of 164, is likely to rise further.
Winter contributing to declining Hyderabad air quality
The city’s air quality dip can be attributed to multiple factors. The city’s rapid growth, increased vehicular movement, and expanding industrial activities contribute to the rising pollution in Hyderabad.
However, the current AQI increase can be largely attributed to the dip in temperatures in the city.
A dip in night temperature, especially on calm, clear evenings, directly leads to a rise in AQI levels. As the ground cools rapidly, it chills the air just above it, creating a stable layer that acts like a lid over the city. The “temperature inversion” traps smoke, vehicle exhaust, and other pollutants close to the surface, preventing them from dispersing into the atmosphere.
With emissions concentrated in a shallow, stagnant layer, their density increases sharply. Consequently, the AQI worsens overnight and into the early morning until the sun warms the ground and breaks the inversion.
Air Quality Index
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a crucial tool for assessing air quality in specific areas. It categorizes air quality into six levels based on the AQI value:
- Good (0-50)
- Moderate (51-100)
- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150)
- Unhealthy (151-200)
- Very Unhealthy (201-300)
- Hazardous (301-500)
Temperatures in the city
Due to winter season, on Monday, the lowest minimum temperature of 17 degrees Celsius was recorded in Maredpally, Hyderabad thereby deteriorating the air quality in the city.
Other areas where the minimum temperatures were less than 18 degrees Celsius were Asifnagar, Bahadurpura, Himayatnagar, Nampally, Bandlaguda, Charminar, and Tirmalagiri.
Given that individuals inhale approximately 14,000 liters of air daily, the dip in the air quality can lead to various health issues in Hyderabad.
