TIRUPATI, INDIA, March 13, 2014 (The Hindu): The temple city of Tirupati, a cultural centre and a major pilgrimage destination in southern India, might be succumbing to a phenomenon common to urban areas. There has been steady rise in population and the usage of vehicles here, which in turn contribute to increasing pollution levels of the city, a study by city-based researchers has revealed.
The presence of eight hazardous air pollutants has been confirmed in the city’s atmosphere, says a research paper authored by Y.V. Rami Reddy, Associate Professor at Sri Venkateswara University’s Department of Chemistry and P. Muni Nagendra, a scientist at Hyderabad’s First Source Laboratory, pointed out.
Increased construction activities, vehicular emissions, road dust, burning of wood/biomass, emissions from diesel generators etc., were to blame for the rising pollutions levels, Prof. Reddy said. “Though some elements are found in low concentrations, they can exert considerable influence on a range of health issues and environmental processes,” he added.