TNPCB says pollution not high even as Bhogi throws smoke blanket on city

The ambient air quality of 15 zones of Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) were monitored for 24 hours on January 10 from 8 am to the same time on January 11 and again between January 12 to January 13 (Bhogi). 

The survey monitored gaseous pollutants such as Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as well as the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSMP-PM10).

The RSPM (PM10) level this year had reduced in eight zones when compared with 2016 – Manali (from 298 to 237), Madhavaram (from 167 to 150), Tondiarpet (from 230 to 172), Royapuram (from 238 to 234), Thiru Vi Ka Nagar (from 291 to 276), Anna Nagar (from 202 to 166), Kodambakkam (from 231 to 150) and Adyar (from 208 to 70) - when compared to the readings recorded in 2016. 

However, RSPM values increased in the following zones – Tiruvottiyur (from 175 to 184 now), Ambattur (from 221 to 306), Teynampet (from 118 to 133), Valasaravakkam (from 226 to 234), Alandur (from 176 to 186), Perungudi (from 112 to 140) and Sholinganallur (from 121 to 185 now). 

Nineteen international and domestic flights to and from Chennai suffered delay on Friday after dense smoke engulfed the airport region here following the burning of old articles on the occasion of Bogi festival.

Fourteen arriving and departing flights from and to various destinations including Muscat, Mauritius and Colombo were delayed by a maximum of two hours, airport officials said.

While an international carrier from Dubai was diverted to Kochi, five domestic services including those to Bengaluru and Coimbatore were delayed because of the smoke restricting visibility, officials added.

Bogi is celebrated a day ahead of the harvest festival (Pongal), where old and unwanted articles of the past year are burnt in a symbolic gesture to usher in the new aspects of life.