Now comes word that Hyderabad may soon face a similar situation.
"With the drop in temperature and occurrence of fog, officials at the Pollution Control Board have reported an alarming decrease in the city’s ambient air quality, leading to an increase in the concentration of pollution at lower levels. Dust samplers collected through the city's gaseous sampling equipment indicate a rise in pollutants, which intensify into smog with a dip in temperature. In cold conditions, most pollutants are not dispersed and remain concentrated at the lower strata of the atmosphere. Therefore, there is a marked increase in pollution in the winter months, when fog formation increases and wind speed decreases. This leads to smog formation,” said Veeranna Patil, scientific officer, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB).
While we haven't been overwhelmed by conditions here, I did mention earlier that Kalie quickly abandoned her plans for outdoor jogging. We've also noticed that celebratory fireworks hang in the air for a really long time, but then celebratory fireworks are serious business in India! Temperatures which had regularly been in the low nineties, are now running in the mid-eighties. I wonder what Officer Patil means by "cold conditions?"
SOURCE: Deccan Chronicle.
