Suspended particulate matter found above permissible limit at 15 monitored locations
Residents across the city on Sunday felt the effects of pollution, with Bhogi fires burning across the city.
At all 15 locations monitored by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, pollution levels were found above the permissible limit.
Virugambakkam residents experienced the highest level of dust pollution on Bhogi day with the locality recording 389 microgram/cubic metre of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM). The permissible limit for RSPM is 100 microgram/cubic metre.
H. Shankar, a resident of Virugambakkam, who lives on the third floor, said that even before he woke up, he could feel the thick smell of smoke in the air.
“I am used to sleeping with the windows open and the smoke reached my nose even before I woke up,” he said.
Eleven locations recorded RSPM levels above 200 microgram/cubic metre. Manali was second with 269 microgram/cubic metre and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar was third with 267 microgram/cubic metre. Perungudi recorded the lowest of 157 microgram/cubic metre.
Sources in the Board attributed the high levels of pollution to very high humidity hovering around 94 per cent in some places, low wind velocity at 2-4 km/hour until 8 a.m. and low temperatures. The Nungambakkam observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 19.4 degree Celsius.
“Though residents listen to us and don’t burn plastic and rubber, they continue to burn other kinds of waste. The low levels of SO2 and NOx are proof of this. Teams of officials and police that fanned the city put out several fires lit by residents stating tradition,” an official said.
K. Nethra, a resident of Mettukuppam, said that she could not see much when she went out in the morning to bring in the milk packets.
“I drew the kolam only after 8.30 a.m. as I waited for the sun to come out. I had left clothes out on the open terrace overnight and when I removed them at 10 a.m. they smelt of smoke,” she said.
C. Sekar, a resident of Perambur, said, at 7 a.m., visibility in his area was so poor that he couldn’t see two buildings away.
Keywords: Pongal celebrations, Chennai, Tamil festival, Bhogi fires, Bhogi, air pollution
The fascinating thing is that people are "intentionally burning" large
old beds to make more smoke. It's not about just making smoke, but...
making more smoke. If it is part of a custom, why don't we just burn a
little and make little smoke and spare the clean air for breathing. So I
request my fellow citizens, please REDUCE the burning content and reduce
the smoke, there by reducing the pollution on coming years.
Well, whole society needs to be educated about the ills of such customs. Didn't we learn anything from erratic climatic changes?? I would love to see a day when they ban firecrackers, burning old things for bogi etc.
Have you even wondered why the pollution levels go up around this time of the year? Its because the trees start shedding leaves and we start burning these dried leaves. Even the richest of rich and the poorest of poor breathe the same air. Clean air is everyones basic right. The municipal commissioners should stop the cleaners from burning leaves and garbage. There should be patrols posted in the mornings and evenings and people fined for causing smoke!
In spite of repeated announcements and warnings yet another day of Bhogi has passed with high pollution levels. People do not seem to understand the basic fact that burning unwanted items during bhogi is a serious health hazard. We have to go a very long way in creating the awareness in the midst of people and the primary mindset has to change. Bhogi is a significant festival in the sense , it is the day when as per our tradition we have to regenerate into a new human being. All the old things including habits / negative feelings etc have to be changed and there must be a complete transformation. But mindless elements in the society try to make total mockery of the pure tradition and burn rubber tubes, cycle tyres and create a great danger to the society. Bhogi is a festival which inculcates good and rich values in the minds of people. The authorities should take a stern view on this and impose strict punishments including levying monetary penalties to those indulging in this.
The lowest recorded pollution level is 50% above the permissible level! That speaks volumes about our pollution control. Chennaites make merry by polluting the atmosphere at will! Is that culture? Even the sun who is worshipped this day by us will not forgive leave alone the earth whom the humans 'rape' every day! We have to seek forgiveness from all the elements of the Universe. We are killing ourselves day in day out and we term this 'for the sake of our living'!!!!
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