Hyderabad | Cold snap sends pollution levels soaring

Air pollution in Hyderabad spikes in mornings due to drop in temperatures; senior citizens & children advised to avoid outdoor activity.

As the mercury in Hyderabad finds its lower levels, there is a spike in air pollution in the mornings. Telangana State Pollution Control Board officials say senior citizens and children should avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the early hours of the day. “The rise in air pollution recordings is due to inversion. The winter air is still and polluted and stays at a lower level and does not get dispersed. It is a meteorological phenomenon,” said W.G. Prasanna Kumar, Senior Social Scientist at the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB), explaining the spike. 

“People who have breathing issues should wear masks if they are going out and should not exert themselves in open spaces,” is the advice of the official of TSPCB. 

A dense fog can be seen over most parts of the city as the low temperatures and pollution due to vehicular movement. “During winter, the air movement is very low and the pollution due to unburnt fuel from engines does not get dispersed. This is the high pollution that we are seeing in residential areas,” says the scientist. 

“AQI in Hyderabad has been over 300, which is classified as “hazardous” for two days in a row. @TelanganaCMO @revanth_anumula this should be a priority for you,” posted a social media user Natasha Ramarathnam on X (formerly Twitter). The pollution levels observed on the online real-time monitors show a trend of rise in pollution levels at 3 a.m. and peaking at 9 a.m. and then dipping back to lower levels.  

Warning against exposure to the pollution Dr. M. Rajeev, a pulmonologist at the Osmania Medical College said there are long lasting effects of pollution on the human body. “Cold is a trigger and pollution is also a trigger that aggravate breathing issues for people with pre-existing conditions. Breathing becomes difficult as the cold affects bronchi,” said Dr. Rajeev.