Home » National » Chennai Aqi On Bhogi Moderate Pollutants Within Prescribed Standards Tn Government

Chennai AQI on Bhogi moderate, pollutants within prescribed standards: TN government

Based on the AQI, the minimum value observed is 135 (moderate) in Anna Nagar and maximum AQI value is 277 (poor) at Valasaravakkam.

ByPTI

Published Jan 14, 2023 | 8:38 PM ⚊UpdatedJan 14, 2023 | 8:38 PM

Low humidity, moderate temperature and moderate wind speed ensured visibility, said Meyyanathan. (Wikimedia Commons)

On Saturday, 14 January, the Tamil Nadu government announced that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Chennai on Bhogi was moderate with reasonably good visibility and no disruption in flight operations.

Low humidity, moderate temperature and moderate wind speed ensured visibility, said Environment and Climate Change Minister Siva V Meyyanathan, quoting a report by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.

Moderate levels

“The overall status of gaseous pollutants — sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) — at all 15 stations are found to be well within the prescribed standards of 80 g/m³ (for 24 hours average) on both pre-Bhogi and Bhogi day,” he said.

The TNPCB conducted the AQI for 24 hours on pre-Bhogi and on Bhogi day at all the 15 zones of Greater Chennai Corporation to monitor the ambient air quality in the city limits.

On Bhogi, the particulate matter (PM2.5) level was in the range of 50-113 g/m³ as against the prescribed standard of 60 g/m³(24-hour average). While particulate matter (PM10) was in the range of 148-203 g/m³as against the prescribed standard of 100 g/m³(24-hour average).

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Based on the AQI, the minimum value observed is 135 (moderate) in Anna Nagar and maximum AQI value is 277 (poor) at Valasaravakkam.

Public awareness

Meyyanathan claimed that the awareness programme of the TNPCB, other government departments, and NGOs, led to a considerable reduction in burning of waste materials like rubber tyres, tubes, plastics etc., by the public and this was observed during night patrolling.

The bonfires lit by residents in the presence of high humidity and low temperature cause smog, which lead to various health hazards, besides disrupting visibility and affecting flight operations during early morning hours, a release from the TNPCB said.

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