AQI in Chennai deteriorates to ‘poor’ category after Deepavali festival
The Hindu
Chennai's air quality deteriorated to 'poor' category on November 13 post Deepavali, with an AQI of 256. Manali recorded the highest AQI of 329, followed by Velachery (322), Alandur (267), Royapuram (237) and Arumbakkam (261). Prolonged exposure to 'poor' air quality may cause breathing discomfort & discomfort to people with heart disease
Chennai residents woke up to a hazy sky on Monday (November 13), a day after the Deepavali festival, as the air quality deteriorated to ‘poor’.
As per the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) real-time air quality monitoring data, the overall air quality index (AQI) of Chennai was 256 as of the early hours of Monday. This puts the city in the same category as Delhi, which had an AQI of 294.
According to the National Air Monitoring Programme’s AQI scale, the air quality check between 0 and 50 is ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 450 ‘severe’.
Of the seven Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations in Chennai, Manali recorded the highest AQI of 329, falling under the ‘very poor’ category, followed by Velachery (322), Alandur (267), Royapuram (237), Arumbakkam (261). While data from the Perungudi station was unavailable on Monday, the air quality index was well over 220 as of Deepavali night.
‘Poor’ air quality may cause breathing discomfort to people on prolonged exposure, and discomfort to people with heart disease, as per the union ministry. Notably, the standards set by the CPCB are less stringent than the World Health Organization.
Since the morning of Deepavali, the air quality has deteriorated from ‘moderately polluted’ to ‘poor’. An advisory issued by the Chennai Police said crackers should be burst only between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. However, residents continued to burst crackers beyond the specified timings, adding to the pollution.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.