Industries Fined ₹16.32 Crore to Protect Visakhapatnam’s Air Quality
APPCB chairman P. Krishnaiah said effective monitoring of industrial emissions and strict enforcement of pollution-control measures were essential to improving air quality in the industrial city.
Visakhapatnam:The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) claims to have stepped up its efforts to curb air pollution in Visakhapatnam and imposed fines totalling Rs 16.32 crore on industries that violated pollution-control norms.
According to the APPCB, rising pollution levels recorded in December 2025 prompted closer monitoring of industrial emissions. The board directed industries to meet prescribed emission standards, properly maintain pollution-control equipment, and prevent excessive smoke emissions.
Task force teams inspected industries in January 2026 and found several deficiencies in compliance with air-quality norms. The agency issued notices directing the industries to take corrective measures. However, repeated inspections and monitoring showed that air quality had not improved as expected, prompting stricter action.
APPCB chairman P. Krishnaiah said effective monitoring of industrial emissions and strict enforcement of pollution-control measures were essential to improving air quality in the industrial city.
He urged residents to limit private vehicle use, choose public transport, regularly check vehicle emissions, and avoid burning garbage or dumping construction waste in open areas. He also emphasised the need for effective dust-control measures at construction sites.
Krishnaiah said Visakhapatnam currently has eight manual air-quality monitoring stations and three continuous monitoring stations. Five proposed IoT-based monitoring stations are expected to become operational by November.
He called for coordinated action by industries, local bodies and government departments to improve the city’s air quality..
