Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has appealed to the members of the public to celebrate the Bhogi festival, falling on January 13 without burning plastic materials and rubber tyres and tubes to protect the environment.
In a press release on Thursday, TNPCB said ‘Our forefathers celebrated “Bhogi” the day before Pongal festival traditionally based on hope by discarding old and derelict things and concentrating on new things which causes change or transformation.’
Earlier, Bhogi was heralded by lighting bonfires with old materials and goods crafted from natural materials and these activities did not pollute the atmosphere or had an influence on the environment but now such a practice caused air pollution as discarded tyres, plastic goods, tubes and, papers with chemical residues were being burnt.
‘Because of these activities, dense black smoke is produced, disrupting landing/take-off of regular flights in Airports and driving in City streets. Furthermore, it created air pollution and health hazards to the public causing eye- irritation, sneezing etc’, the TNPCB said.
To prevent such illicit practices, awareness was created among the public for the past 20 years through distribution of hand-outs, audio messages using auto rickshaws, which had brought down such activities, it said, adding: ‘To continue with the forthcoming environment friendly celebration of “Bhogi,” 2025, TNPCB is taking steps to create awareness in the Greater Chennai Corporation and also in all Districts of Tamil Nadu.
To monitor the ambient air quantity in Chennai, TNPCB would conduct an ambient air quality survey in 15 locations throughout the day for 24 hours on Bhogi festival and day-before and day after the Bhogi festival and publish the ambient air quality data in the website of the TNPC Board, it said.
