PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

India's Telangana Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Telangana

Telangana faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 39.2 million across 33 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 29.3µg/m³. That's 5.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 486 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Telangana met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.38 years longer.

That's 93.2M years of life stolen from 39.2 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Telangana. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Hyderabad
3.2 years lost
2.Medchal Malkajgiri
2.9 years lost
3.Karimnagar
2.7 years lost
4.Peddapalli
2.7 years lost
5.Adilabad
2.7 years lost
6.Jagtial
2.6 years lost
7.Kumurambheem Asifabad
2.6 years lost
8.Nirmal
2.5 years lost
9.Nizamabad
2.5 years lost
10.Rangareddy
2.5 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

20.5%

8.0M

25-35 µg/m³

68.3%

26.7M

> 35 µg/m³

11.2%

4.4M

Districts

All 33 Districts in Telangana

Complete air quality data for every district in Telangana, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Hyderabad	4.4M	37.2	3.2 years
Medchal Malkajgiri	2.8M	34.6	2.9 years
Rangareddy	2.6M	30.5	2.5 years
Nalgonda	1.9M	27.4	2.2 years
Nizamabad	1.8M	30.9	2.5 years
Sangareddy	1.6M	28.3	2.3 years
NA	1.5M	24.1	1.9 years
Khammam	1.5M	25.3	2.0 years
Suryapet	1.2M	28.5	2.3 years
Warangal (Urban)	1.2M	27.2	2.2 years
Siddipet	1.1M	26.7	2.1 years
Karimnagar	1.1M	32.8	2.7 years
Peddapalli	1.1M	32.7	2.7 years
Kamareddy	1.0M	28.1	2.3 years
Jagtial	1.0M	32.0	2.6 years
Nagarkurnool	998K	21.8	1.6 years
Mahabubnagar	996K	23.2	1.8 years
Vikarabad	994K	25.0	2.0 years
Mancherial	987K	30.5	2.5 years
Warangal (Rural)	866K	25.0	2.0 years
Medak	841K	28.3	2.3 years
Yadadri Bhuvanagiri	763K	27.0	2.2 years
Adilabad	721K	32.1	2.7 years
Nirmal	717K	30.9	2.5 years
Jogulamba Gadwal	711K	23.6	1.8 years
Narayanpet	654K	22.8	1.7 years
Mahabubabad	642K	23.7	1.8 years
Kumurambheem Asifabad	627K	31.5	2.6 years
Jayashankar Bhupalpally	574K	26.5	2.1 years
Wanaparthy	567K	24.3	1.9 years
Mulugu	548K	24.4	1.9 years
Jangoan	505K	24.7	1.9 years
Rajanna Sircilla	504K	29.5	2.4 years

Showing 33 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Telangana is Injurious to Health.