“Industries main pollutants in Kathivakkam”
Residents of North Chennai are now used to the innumerable containers, lorries and heavy vehicles that criss-cross several localities. However, they are finding it hard to cope with the resulting rise in air pollution levels.
The maximum level of total suspended particulate matter (TSPM) recorded between April 2010 and March 2011 in Tiruvottiyur is 585 microgram/cubic metre and that of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) is 292 microgram/cubic metre. The prescribed standard of TSPM for industrial areas is 360 microgram/cubic metre and for RSPM it is 120 microgram/cubic metre. These values were recorded by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP), which is funded by the Central Pollution Control Board.
“There is 24-hour container traffic on our roads. When there is traffic jam on one road, containers enter other roads and do not bother about other traffic. There is a lot of mud on the sides of the roads and the vehicles too bring in dust,” said V.Rajkumar, a resident of Theradi in Tiruvottiyur.
Due to heavy vehicular traffic , the roads get damaged easily and only patch work is taken up. Containers frequently fall off the heavy vehicles as they are not properly locked. Boards warning that containers must not use roads in the mornings during school hours are missing now, he added.
The maximum level of TSPM recorded in the same period in Manali is 407 microgram/cubic metre and the level of RSPM is 246 microgram/cubic metre. The maximum level of TSPM recorded in the same period in Kathivakkam is 353 microgram/cubic metre and the level of RSPM is 219 microgram/cubic metre.
Manali resident M.Mahalingam said that when residents see the colour of the flame from companies, they know there would be more soot in the air on that day. “We have a lot of warehouses in Andarkuppam, Sadayankuppam and Vellivoyalchavady and the vehicular traffic in those areas is unimaginable. Containers are not allowed on roads between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. However, many heavy vehicles do not heed to such traffic arrangements. A lot of accidents happen on the road connecting Manali and Manali New Town. Work on widening the road is yet to be completed,” he said.
M. Kalaivanan of Kathivakkam said that industries were the main pollutants in his area. “The municipality does not sweep the roads and there is dust everywhere.”
Many residents of North Chennai complained that a fine layer of dust was found even inside houses. “Our house is not on the main road but we still find a fine layer of dust on the TV set, computer and book shelves. We often fall sick. Cold and cough are common,” said a resident from Ennore.
Kalpana Balakrishnan, Head of the Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra University, said that being next door to a highway or a main road is as good as being on it. “If outside air is clean, we will not have an issue inside the house in an urban setting. Absence of indoor sources does not guarantee absence of indoor exposures,” she said.
Keywords: North Chennai, civic issues, environmental pollution, industrial areas
I have made umpteen phone calls to the thiruvottiyur municipality requesting them to clean the road, remove the sand on the sides of the road and alongside the median, and dump it in the sea. The municipality asked me to contact the highways dept who said they took up the road and median laying work as contract and I should check with municipality on maintenance. When I told this to municipality, they said there is no process in place for maintenance of the roads.
Its not only North Chennai, the whole of Chennai stinks.
As per the report, the industries are the main pollutants. There is no doubt in that. Added to that the entire stretch of road from Manali New Town to TN Petro is full of long container lorries. This is due to the presence of 2 or 3 container freight stations situated just near the MFL junction. The plight of the general public using the MTC buses and the patients is seen to be believed. Over the last one week, after the withdrawal of these lorries saw a very long traffic jam for a length atleast 5 to 6 km leading to the Chennai Port. We request the good offices of the concerned departments to put an end to this crisis at the earliest. This is inspite of the untiring efforts being made by the traffic police posted in huge numbers who help in regulating traffic.
When the government decided to bring in industries to north chennai in the 60's and 70's, they should have made efforts to stop the settlement of people as residents and must also have made a complete industrial belt without residential pockets. Now, people are suffering.
People why just keep complaining when they are deciding their own fate by voting all corrupted and vision less people. Its time to enjoy the results of it. I blame the people. Rather complaining and high light the issue, its better to spare some time to fight on these kind of issues. Also can come up with an innovative solution. We feel responsible to clean our homes and not the streets. If everyone take the responsibility of cleaning up at least the portion of the street across their home is just enough.
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