Hyderabad: Rains wreaked havoc in the city over the last weekend but the flip side is that pollution levels came down by several notches. Levels of Particulate Matter (PM) came down considerably in Hyderabad.
But even as pollution data from the TS Pollution Control Board showed reducing pollution levels, the Air Quality Index of Hyderabad doubled on Wednesday over Tuesday after it noted PM levels crossing 500 micrograms per cubic metre. TSPCB officials said there was a technical error with the reading station.
On the days it rained, pollution levels fell drastically. According to data from the TSPCB, PM10 (standard for measuring air quality) levels in four different stations in the city last Monday were all near 150 micrograms per cubic metre.
PM10 levels fell by nearly seven times to the 25 micrograms per cubic metres mark in most areas by Sunday when it was raining.
PM10 levels near the Zoo Park were 51 micrograms per cubic metre on Sunday compared to 138 a week ago. PM2.5 recorded at the same station fell from 53 micrograms per cubic metre to 22.
“Rains can stub particulate matter and reduce pollution temporarily,” said environmentalist S. Jeevananda Reddy said.
