Ambient air quality better in the majority of the places in Chennai on Deepavali day
Posted on: 29/Oct/2019 9:58:50 AM
With the exception of Sowcarpet in north Chennai, the ambient air quality levels in Chennai were well inside the permitted levels on the day of Deepavali on 27th October.
The maximum safe level is 100 and in Sowcarpet the PM 10 levels stood at 128 micrograms per cubic metre. It must be noted that in the same place the PM 2.5 levels at 62 micrograms per cubic metre were marginally higher than the safe maximum of 60. This was as per the state pollution control board statement.
Mr A. Venkatachalam, chairman of the state pollution control board mentioned that the air quality in Sowcarpet has gone down more on the day of Deepavali in 2019 when compared to 2018.
In the year 2018, PM 10 levels were at 114 micrograms per cubic metre and PM 2.5 levels at 42 micrograms per cubic metre. He spoke about how in 2019 the levels of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide levels were well within the prescribed maximum of 80 micrograms per cubic metre.
As against the maximum permissible levels of 55 decibels, the noise levels n the Deepavali day rose to 73 decibels. It is known that the pollution control board had monitors in Chennai in places like T. Nagar, Besant Nagar, Sowcarpet, Triplicane, Nungambakkam etc. The important information is overall there was a considerable reduction in pollution and noise levels in 2019 when compared to the previous years.
The factors like public co-operation plus awareness created by the pollution control board have contributed towards the reduction in the pollution and noise levels in 2019 and this was as per Mr Venkatachalam. The message to have a ‘clean and green Deepavali’ was also spread by several government departments. This also was responsible for a reduction in the pollution in Chennai. Point to be noted is the department collects data on pollution seven days before and after the Deepavali.
