Visakhapatnam’s air was ‘poor’ or worse on 41 of 60 winter days, pollution board data show
The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has fined 10 industries in Visakhapatnam ₹16.33 crore for violating environmental standards. Data shows that air quality in the city reached 'poor' or 'very poor' levels on 41 out of 60 winter days.
Why it matters
This reflects growing regulatory pressure on industrial pollution in India's urban centers to address public health crises caused by poor air quality.
The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has imposed environmental compensation totalling ₹16.33 crore (₹16,32,75,000) on 10 industries in Visakhapatnam for violating environmental norms and pollution control standards, a Board official said.
Air quality worsened 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 readings published by the Board for the month, 25 were in the ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ categories. None was ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’. The average daily AQI that month was 255, nearly three times the 88 recorded in October.
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