An environmental advocacy group, Poovulagin Nanbargal, is calling for a major reevaluation of how air pollution is assessed in Tamil Nadu. They argue that current measurement techniques drastically downplay the true environmental damage caused by firecracker emissions during the Deepavali festival.
While the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) reported Chennai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) between 190 and 332 from 6 a.m. on October 20 to 6 a.m. on October 21, Poovulagin Nanbargal contends these figures are misleading. They highlight that private monitoring applications registered significantly higher pollution levels, reaching up to 993 AQI in certain parts of the city on Deepavali night.
The group specifically criticized the TNPCB’s reliance on 24-hour average readings, asserting that this method effectively masks the severe intensity of pollution experienced during peak hours when the air becomes dangerously toxic. ‘For example, in areas like Valasaravakkam, where the 24-hour average stood at 332 AQI, the real-time pollution levels between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. could have easily soared past 800 AQI,’ stated the organization in a recent press release.
A critical concern raised is that TNPCB’s monitoring equipment is incapable of recording AQI levels beyond 500, which means the actual peak severity of air quality degradation remains unknown. Poovulagin Nanbargal urged the government to release hourly pollution data, expand the network of real-time monitoring stations across cities, and eliminate the existing 500-AQI reporting cap.
Furthermore, the environmental advocates demanded stricter time limits for bursting crackers, proposed a complete ban on fireworks in sensitive hill stations like Ooty and Kodaikanal, and advocated for implementing a ‘polluter pays’ principle through a pollution tax on firework products. They also emphasized the need for a comprehensive, long-term strategy to provide sustainable alternative livelihoods for individuals working in the firecracker industry.