CHENNAI: Chennai’s air quality remains on the edge round the year. However, it’s during winter months, especially during Deepavali in November and Bhogi festivities in January, that the air quality deteriorates and smog engulfs the city. This year too, Meteorological Centre officials indicated that smog may resurface after January 8 due to ‘unfavourable’ weather conditions.
On Friday morning, a thick blanket of fog covered the city, reducing visibility levels to under 50 metres, but conditions improved by 9 am under sunny and windy conditions although pollution levels in parts of the city was high. This may not be the case after a week with north-east monsoon expected to withdraw completely by January 8 and with it, the easterly winds would cease significantly.
N Puviarasan, director of Area Cyclone Warning Centre at Regional Meteorological Centre, clarified what was witnessed on Friday morning was fog and not smog. “Smog would form during still weather conditions and would continue during day time, deteriorating the air quality.”
“Currently, mild easterlies are blowing and day time temperature remain around 30 degrees Celsius, conditions that are not conducive for smog to form. On Thursday, it was just fog caused by a strong inversion layer, which is formed when surface air is cooler than the air above,” he said.
The official added, “Once the monsoon completely withdraws, no easterly winds will be present to disperse pollutants quickly. The city may see smog for a couple of days around Bhogi festivities (January 14).” Anticipating this, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has formed special teams and squads to strengthen monitoring arrangements in all Chennai Corporation zones.
TNPCB member secretary D Sekhar told Express that ahead of Bhogi, 30 monitoring teams and five squads have been formed to ensure that the burning of waste materials such as old rubber products, plastics, tyres, tubes, etc, is prevented. Bonfires lit by residents during high humidity and low temperature conditions may cause smog, which disrupts visibility and puts motorists at great risk.
Flight operations may also be affected. “On the day of Bhogi, TNPCB teams, jointly with the police department, would conduct night patrolling. Last year, more than 100 waste tyres which were kept for burning, were seized,” the official added. Besides, the pollution control board is conducting awareness among the public in all the 15 zones.
Officials said meetings will be conducted with supports of various non-governmental organisations and resident welfare associations. On Friday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovered between 70 and 109, which according to the National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) standards, would cause minor breathing discomfort to the people with lung, asthma and heart diseases.