Chennai: The climatic conditions are not conducive for normal dispersal of smoke and particulate matter, which is why the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board is urging the public to restrict bursting of crackers to the “maximum extent possible” on Deepavali day (Wednesday). It is moot whether the people would be willing to forego their fun for the sake of the atmosphere. Even so, the bursting of crackers and lighting of fireworks may be less this year as awareness levels of damage to the city environment are more than ever before.
Intermittent rainfall has been a feature of the weather over the city and many parts of the state in the last few days. However, the depression and storms building in the Bay of Bengal are unlikely to drop too much rain on Tamil Nadu on festival day, according to web weather forecasters who have been providing DC with forecasts on a daily basis. “There is a possibility of isolated showers through the day”, is all they are saying. The Met office also predicts rain or thundershowers at a few places in TN and Puducherry in the next couple of days.
TNPCB said there may be no proper dispersion of smoke which in turn may increase ground level concentration of pollutants, resulting in respiratory problems, wheezing, throat irritation, lung infection “and in general drastically affect the public health.”
“Trapping of pollutants under same conditions result in the formation of smog.
The firecrackers release pollutants and generate noise in the ambient air which has adverse impact on the general health of the living beings residing in the area,” the release added.
The T. Nagar shopping hub was not as busy on Tuesday as it had been earlier, but then people here tend to buy in advance and not leave it so late. In fact, firecrackers are what people tend to buy last, including on the day of the festival. Early news out of Sivakasi had suggested that this Deepavli might be quieter than previous ones.
