Air Pollution Crisis Engulfs India: From Delhi to Hyderabad, Hazardous Air Becomes Daily Reality
Air pollution in Indian cities has transformed dramatically. It no longer remains a winter headline reserved only for Delhi. From Mumbai to Hyderabad, hazardous AQI levels are becoming part of everyday life. What people once saw as a seasonal inconvenience has turned into a nationwide public health emergency.
Hyderabad's Dangerous Air Quality Decline
In Hyderabad, where air quality recently spiked into dangerous territory, the crisis has become impossible to ignore. Actor and environmentalist Dia Mirza grew up in the city. She has spent nearly a decade working on environmental advocacy. Mirza views this shift with genuine alarm.
Speaking to Hyderabad Times, she reflects on how clean air has moved from being taken for granted to being contested. She explains why denial is costing us precious time. Mirza emphasizes why India must recognize polluted air for what it truly represents - a direct threat to life itself.
Hyderabad's air is hitting dangerous levels and it's only getting worse.
Hyderabad's air quality has worsened steadily over the past five years. The city now records multiple days each winter in the 'poor' to 'severe' AQI categories. In 2021, the average AQI for Hyderabad during December and January hovered around 100-150+. This indicated moderate to poor range air quality.
In 2025-26, averages have surged dramatically to around 300. This enters the hazardous range. On January 1, 2026, the city recorded an average AQI of 339. It peaked at 353 at 6 am.
Certain neighbourhoods in late December 2025 showed extreme localized pollution. Teachers Colony recorded an AQI reading of 367. Kompally registered 278. Even areas with slight improvement, like Kompally with AQI 87, continued to have PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels far above WHO safety limits.
The Fundamental Right to Breathe Clean Air
The right to life begins with the right to breathe clean air.
Clean air has always been central to my environmental activism. When I was appointed a UNEP ambassador about eight years ago, I attended a conference in Bangkok. It was for a campaign called Breathe Life. That experience introduced me to data and statistics on air pollution. These facts are only now becoming part of wider public discourse.
Back then, air quality barely received attention outside a few winter months. Even then, people framed it as a Delhi-specific problem. The data today makes it absolutely clear. This is not a regional issue. It is a national crisis.
Yet, states still haven't prioritized it with the urgency it demands. For nearly a decade, we've been saying one consistent thing. The right to life begins with the right to breathe. The right to breathe begins with the right to breathe clean air.
A National Health Emergency, Not Seasonal Inconvenience
This is a national health emergency, not a seasonal inconvenience.
Air pollution isn't always visible unless it becomes extremely dense. That's why people notice it more during winter months. But data shows that air quality remains poor for long stretches throughout the year.
When 21 of the world's most polluted cities are in India, we must acknowledge this reality. This is a national health emergency. Pregnant women face risks. Foetuses develop in polluted environments. Children in their developmental years experience harm. Everyone is affected.
Prolonged exposure causes multiple health problems:
- Brain fog and cognitive issues
- Developmental disruptions in children
- Inflammation in women in their 40s
- Health complications for those going through menopause
- A range of respiratory illnesses
In simple terms, polluted air is bad for us. AQI levels above 100 are harmful. Anything crossing 300 becomes dangerous even for short exposure. We cannot afford to normalize this situation.
Denial Delays Critical Action
Denial doesn't solve anything. It only delays action.
I track data from multiple platforms. These include IQAir and the CPCB-approved monitor at ICRISAT. ICRISAT is a scientific institution here in Hyderabad. What worries me deeply is that these platforms often show very different numbers.
Independent apps frequently report AQI levels that are 30 to 40 points higher than state-run platforms. When official readings consistently appear lower, it creates confusion. Worse, it generates a false sense of safety.
Discrediting third-party apps doesn't help. Questioning monitoring devices achieves nothing. Even manipulating readings solves no problems. These actions only shift attention away from the real issue. Denial helps absolutely no one.
We must acknowledge the problem honestly. We need to present accurate information. Most importantly, we must treat air pollution for what it truly represents: a public health emergency requiring immediate action.
Children Growing Up Without Clean Air Memories
Children today don't know any other reality.
I grew up in Hyderabad. The city was always dry and dusty. But I remember blue skies and clean air. I spent my childhood outdoors. I climbed trees and played freely. My parents never worried about my health from air pollution.
Even today, Hyderabad remains better off than many Indian cities. But the highest AQI this month touched 360. That alarming number should concern every resident.
I've been documenting AQI levels in Hyderabad for the past two years. Every time I return, I see rapid construction everywhere. Hills are being cut. Rocks get blasted. Glass, concrete and steel dominate the landscape.
I'm not against development. Growth remains important for our nation. But it must be conscious development. We need to use green solutions that already exist. Air pollution represents one of the lowest-hanging fruits in environmental protection. It is solvable.
Many countries have successfully addressed air pollution. China has made significant progress. Why can't India achieve similar results? We owe our children a fundamental promise. They deserve a future where clean air is not a privilege but a guaranteed right. That future begins with speaking up today. It requires demanding accountability from authorities. Most urgently, it needs immediate action from all of us.
