The Hindu : Awareness campaign from tomorrow for smokeless Bhogi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 11, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Awareness campaign from tomorrow for smokeless Bhogi

CHENNAI, JAN. 10. The State Environment department has planned a three-day-long awareness campaign to bring home the ill effects of burning wastes like tyres on Bhogi.

Beginning on January 12, the campaign includes distribution of handbills and broadcast of messages over All-India Radio and Doordarshan.

Besides, students of 60 city school eco-clubs and volunteers of 100 schools sponsored by the Department of Environment will conduct awareness meetings and rallies around their respective schools requesting people to celebrate a smokeless Bhogi.

Anti-tyre burning campaigns will be conducted by select colleges and Civic Exnora, according to S. Balaji, Director, Department of Environment.

The department has also requested visitors to the Marina Beach and the Vandalur Zoological Park on Kanum Pongal day to avoid use of plastic bags and cups. All vendors have been requested to use paper cups and bags.

Last year, thanks to campaigning by government officials and non-governmental organisations, Bhogi saw less smoke. Over 50 Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) staff members in 14 teams toured the city to create greater awareness of prevention of burning during Bhogi.

The city police patrol teams were also at work in Corporation zones telling the public to put out the flames and rounded up 200 persons who indulged in burning tyres and plastics.

TNPCB reports released after last year's Bhogi revealed that while south Chennai saw considerable pollution, the air was clear in parts of north Chennai such as Vyasarpadi, Perambur and Washermanpet, which were usually reputed for its thick smog-covered Bhogi morning.

The success of the campaign was visible at Old Washermenpet where the sky was clear even at 7 a.m.

Pollution monitoring was done last year at Anna Nagar, Vallalar Nagar, Royapuram, Besant Nagar, Kilpauk, T. Nagar and Vyasarpadi.

The Sulphur Dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen and Carbon Monoxide were well within the permissible limits.

There was a drastic reduction of Total Suspended Particulate Matter and Respirable Dust Particles over the previous year's recordings.

Ecologists say that the practice had its roots in agricultural fields when farmers burnt old cane baskets, brooms and other biodegradable field implements, which got infected with fungus due to constant contact with wet soil.

The habit was adopted by city dwellers who burnt anything from doormats to newspapers, plastics and tyres, causing toxic fumes to escape into the air. This exposed residents to irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, skin and respiratory diseases, say medical experts.

Mela at college

The Punjab Association is celebrating Lohri and Pongal Mela at the Anna Adarsh College tomorrow. Surjit Singh Sahney, association's public relations secretary, said Lohri, like Bhogi, was an annual thanksgiving celebration for bestowing with crops and a traditional festival of bonfire and fireworks.

The bonfire was offered with sweet, groundnut, popcorn, sugarcane, `chivda' and diluted milk.

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