Chennai: Air quality in the city plummeted with Chennaiites burning rubber tyres, old belongings and waste on Bhogi day, going against the State Pollution Control Board’s (PCB) advisory in this regard.
The relatively low levels of Sulphur-dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen-dioxide (NO2) recorded in the pre-Bhogi survey conducted between January 11 and 12, rose by at least three to four times and by twice as much, respectively.
Alandur, Adyar and Perungudi zones of the Chennai Corporation had the highest levels of both NO2 and SO2 of all 15 zones in the city.
With regards to Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), the microscopic coarse particles, all 15 zones recorded two fold or three fold increase from before Bhogi.
Kathivakkam, Manali, Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Ambattur, Kodam bakkam, Karambakkam and Besant Nagar areas recorded RSPM
levels higher than what was post-Bhogi in
2015.
