Visakhapatnam’s air breached the national standard 259 out of 382 days; data shows that winter brings the worst
The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has imposed environmental compensation totaling ₹16.33 crore (₹16,32,75,000) on 10 industries in Visakhapatnam for violating environmental and pollution control norms, a board official said.
Air quality deteriorated sharply in December 2025. The Central Pollution Control Board’s Air Quality Index (AQI) rates 101 to 200 as “moderate”, 201 to 300 as “poor”, and 301 to 400 as “very poor”. Of the 30 daily figures released by the board for the month, 25 were in the “poor” or “very poor” categories. None were “good” or “satisfactory”. The average daily AQI that month was 255, almost triple the 88 recorded in October.
December peak
Daily and monthly figures shared by the council for the period from September 2025 to September 2026 confirm its sharp deterioration in December. A council official said the council stepped up monitoring and enforcement after air quality worsened that month. The board found that emissions and smoke from certain industries were adversely affecting air quality, the official said, and directed them to comply with prescribed emission norms, operate and maintain pollution control equipment effectively and prevent excessive smoke and pollutants. Task force teams inspected several industries in January 2026, found deficiencies in some units and issued warnings. Air quality has not improved as expected despite repeated checks, the official said. The council then found that certain industries were not following environmental regulations and prescribed pollution control standards and compensation was imposed.
From December 18 to 31, every reading was 265 or higher, with a peak of 347 on December 19. Eight days of the month were “very bad,” a category that its own health advisory board links to respiratory disease with long-term exposure. Seven out of nine days from December 24 to January 1, the index broke the 300 mark.
January brought only partial relief, with 16 of its 30 readings “poor” or worse. During the two months, 41 of the 60 readings occurred in these categories, three-quarters of all such days in the 13-month record.
Seasonal pattern
The rates have moderated since February, when four of the 26 published figures were “bad”.
The data alone do not show whether the improvement is due to enforcement or the change in season. They indicate a seasonal pattern. Between November and February, 51 of 116 readings (44%) were “bad” or worse. Only four of the 266 readings in the other nine months were in these categories, all in September 2025. During the 13 months, air quality was above the national standard of 100 on 259 of the 382 days with a reading.
M Sree Ranjani, Principal Environmental Scientist, APPCB, told The Hindu that the bowl-shaped terrain of the city prevents the dispersion of pollutants and that heavier dust settles close to the ground. In winter, she said, a temperature inversion, in which cooler air stays near the surface beneath warmer air, traps pollutants and pushes up the AQI.
Pollutant levels across the city
The council’s station records measure the concentration of individual pollutants and show that the load was not uniform. In December, the monthly average for PM10 (particles of 10 micrometers or less) ranged from 144 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) at Sitammadhara to 237 µg/m³ at the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) building. It was followed by Ramky Pharma City (229), Gnanapuram (216) and Police Barracks (207).
A Hindu analysis of the council’s monthly averages from October 2025 to September 2026 shows that the 12-month average for PM10 at each of the 10 stations ranged from 84 to 135 µg/m³, against the annual standard of 60 µg/m³. For PM2.5 (finer particles), five of the seven stations with readings for all 12 months were on average above the annual standard of 40 µg/m³, by up to a third. Twelve-month averages for sulfur dioxide and ammonia were well below their annual norms (50 and 100 µg/m³) at each station. Standards are defined for a year of regular sampling, so these comparisons are indicative.
Ms. Sree Ranjani said PM10 is generally the most significant pollutant in the city due to dust-generating activities, including road dust.
Monitoring and ongoing studies
APPCB Chairman P. Krishnaiah said eight manual stations are monitoring air quality in the city and three more Continuous Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) have been set up for real-time monitoring. In addition, five stations based on Internet of Things (IoT) sensors are proposed to be operational by November. Ms. Sree Ranjani said four of the five units will be in the city and one in a hotspot near the port. This is the first phase, she said, and some locations may change.
Sensor units provide instant readings and can help detect local events such as waste burning, while analyzer-based stations are more scientifically accurate, she said. The values vary widely from location to location when data from other stations are combined, she said. “The intention is not to show data and say Visakhapatnam is fine,” she said. Board officials regularly inspect local industries and alert the district administration to sources such as municipal solid waste and open burning, she said.
Andhra University’s resource allocation study, peer-reviewed by the Central Pollution Control Board, is awaiting its final report, she said, and the findings will be shared once received. Until then, the contributions of industry, vehicles and road dust to the city’s pollution remain unquantified.
In a recent video conference with the Air Pollution Control Committee, the Greater Visakhapatnam Civic Forum sought faster integration of the new CAAQMS with the Central Pollution Control Board’s website and the release of the Andhra University resource allocation study.
Mr. Krishnaiah urged residents to use public transport, test their vehicles regularly and refrain from dumping or burning garbage and other waste in the open. He requested that construction and demolition waste not be dumped on the site and that vehicles carrying sand, earth and other materials be covered. He also asked industries, local bodies and all concerned departments to work together to improve air quality and reduce pollution levels.
Published – 10 October 2026 21:40 IST