Many parts of Chennai record poor air quality on Bhogi day

Chennai's air quality worsens as residents burn waste during Bhogi celebrations, leading to smog and high pollution levels.

Many parts of the city, including Ennore, Perungudi, Arumbakkam, Royapuram, and Manali, had poor air quality on Sunday as residents celebrated Bhogi by burning waste. The smoke combined with the fog to form smog.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer mobile app, the air quality index (AQI) at Perungudi was 251 at 3.01 a.m. with the major pollutant being particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5). The ground ozone was 54 at that time. With no winds to disperse the pollutants, the AQI was 328 at 7.05 p.m. on Sunday. The levels of both major pollutants PM2.5 and particulate matter 10 (PM10) reached 500 and 455 respectively.

The city’s AQI, which was 135 at 4 p.m. on Saturday, rose to 183 at 3.05 a.m. on Sunday. This then became 200 at 8.22 a.m., 212 at 10.15 a.m., and 228 at 7.05 p.m. Gummidipoondi recorded an AQI of 302 at 7.05 p.m., PM2.5 being the major pollutant, while Chengalpattu recorded an AQI of 239.

Jana, a resident of Ennore, said people in his area burnt old mats, clothes, and pillows as part of the tradition. Visibility was at about 20 feet, and there was a thick smog, but since we were used to it, there was no problem, he added.

S. Seetha, a resident of Thoraipakkam, said when she saw her street at 6.15 a.m. on Sunday, the smog was thick and hanging in the air. “I had planned to draw a kolam early in the day for the festival. But I gave up due to the smog. I waited till the sun was up since I didn’t want to breathe in the pollution,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) laboratory observed that the overall status of the gaseous pollutants sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at all 15 stations were found to be well within the prescribed standards of 80 μg/m3 for 24 hours average on both the day before Bhogi and on Bhogi.

During Bhogi celebrations, the level of PM2.5 was in the range of 52-111 μg/m3, against the prescribed standard of 60 μg/m3 (24 hours average), and PM10 was in the range of 118-289 μg/m3, against the prescribed standard of 100 μg/m3 (24 hours average). The minimum AQI value observed was 131 (moderate) at Anna Nagar and maximum AQI value was 270 (poor) at Valasaravakkam.