Dust, noise pollution pull Chennai metropolis down in rankings

Chennai: Increasing dust and noise pollution played a major role in the city hitting the new low in cleanliness aspect.

Attributing the increasing dust pollution to the never ending metro rail and other civil construction works, an official from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said, “There is a steep increase in the dust pollution ever since the metro rail works commenced. Besides industrial pollution, the ongoing construction activities contribute to the pollution.”

“Due to the increasing vehicular pollution, the particulate matter levels are above permissible limits. Other areas like Gummidipoondi, Kodangaiyur and Perungudi are seeing a line above the permit, when it comes to PM 2.5 and PM 10. While the reason is attributed to the location of industries in the former, Kodangaiyur being the solid waste dumping site is the factor,” added the official.

Apart from the dust pollution, the noise pollution levels are steeply increasing, with sensitive areas like Egmore Eye hospital recording the levels above the permissible limit.

According to the pollution managers, the average noise pollution levels had seen a gradual increase in the past five years. “Such alarming levels were earlier witnessed only during festivals and election canvass. The situation has deteriorated, due to

the increasing vehicle population,” admitted the official. The dirty label to the city will affect the quality of life, especially the public health. “Noise pollution has been proved to have negative effects on the blood pressure of a patient, which subsequently gives rise to depression and other psychiatric illnesses. Mental Stress is also a by-product of increased ambiance noise levels,” said Dr Mohan Kameswaran, ENT Specialist, Madras ENT Research Foundation (MERF).