Human Rights Forum (HRF) members expressed concern over the increasing levels of air pollution in the city of Visakhapatnam.

HRF AP&TS coordination committee member, V S Krishna while talking to the media on Wednesday said that the city has already been listed as the most polluted city in South India according to a study by Greenpeace in India.

Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad , the two main cities in Telugu speaking states are in the list of the cities that have exceeded the permissible limits set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Air quality in Visakhapatnam often reads between the ‘unhealthy mark’ of 151-200 and ‘very unhealthy’ mark of 201-300 levels. During winters, the air quality is hitting the threshold zone of ‘hazardous’ 301 and higher.

Industrial pollution is one of the many things that is contributing to the rise in pollutant gases and suspended particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) beyond permissible limits.

HRF demanded the authorities to initiate timely and effective measures to reduce the air pollution levels in the city.

Mr. Krishna said “We also urge the Central Pollution Control Board to introduce new national ambient air quality standards that are in tune with the latest scientific understanding and are based on the updated WHO AQGs (air quality guidelines).”