Chennai: Sowcarpet area recorded the maximum level of air pollution in Chennai with the Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 786 on Monday, Deepavali Day, from 68, which was the pre-Deepavali index, recorded on October 19 and the highest Noise Level value in the city was 64.5 dB(A), observed at Valasaravakkam.
A press release from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board on Tuesday said manual monitoring was conducted at seven different locations - Besant Nagar, T.Nagar, Nungambakkam, Triplicane, Sowcarpet, Valasaravakkam and Tiruvottiyur - to monitor the impact of bursting of crackers during Deepavali celebrations on Ambient Air Quality and also noise levels in Chennai city on the direction of the Supreme Court and Central Pollution Control Board.
The AQI observed from October 24, 6.00 am, to October 25, 6.00 am, ranged from 345 to 786 with Besant Nagar recording the lowest and Sowcarpet the highest, the release said, adding: ‘This is due to large number of people indulged in very active bursting of firecrackers (mainly night crackers and sky shots) and high relative humidity and low wind speed. The climatic condition is not conducive for the effective dispersion of the smoke emanated from the bursting of crackers.’
According to the report of the noise level monitoring, the lowest noise level value observed on the pre Deepavali day i.e., on October 18 was 54.8 dB(A) at Besant Nagar and 64.5 dB(A) at Valasaravakkam. On Deepavali day the lowest value observed was 66.0 dB(A) at Besant Nagar and the highest was 79.7 dB(A) at Thiruvottiyur. ‘The Noise Level values observed on Deepavali day (24.10.2022) are higher than National Ambient Noise Standards (i.e., 55.0 dB(A) during day time and 65.0dB(A) during night time),’ the release said.
It said the TNPCB had conducted awareness programmes through District Collectors, Corporation Commissioners, Municipalities, Police, School students, Print and Social media, FM Radio and TV, banners and pamphlets across the State educating and bringing awareness of pollution due to bursting of crackers.
The State government had also issued a direction restricting bursting of firecrackers between 6 am and 7 am and 7 pm and 8 pm on November 24 based on the orders of the Supreme Court that had also directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees to carry out short-term monitoring in their cities.
‘The Monitoring is being conducted as per Central Pollution Control Board guidelines for a period of 15 days (commencing from 17.10.2022 06.00hrs to 01.11.2022, 06.00 hrs i.e, 7 days before and after Deepavali),’ the release said.
The AQI observed in other localities are as follows: T Nagar 372, Nungambakkam 563, Triplicane 503, Valasaravakkam 545 and Thiruvottiyur 436.
The noise level, which should be between 45 to 55 dB(A) in residential areas and 55 to 65 dB(A) in commercial areas was at 66 in Besant Nagar, 77.7 at T Nagar, 78.6 at Nungambakkam 73.3 at Triplicane, 71.1 at Sowcarpet, 77 at Valasaravakkam and 79.7 at Thiruvottiyur.
