TN records rise in air, noise pollution levels

Chennai: TamilNadu witnessed an uptick in both air and noise pollution levels during the Deepavali celebrations on November 8, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said. The state-wide monitoring, conducted across 39 ambient air quality and 34 noise monitoring stations, revealed that the average Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 168.97 in 2026, up from 161.69 in 2025—representing an approximate 4.50 percent increase, the Board in a release on Monday here said.

While 14 locations registered improvements, 25 stations recorded higher AQI values compared to the previous year. Urban centres bore the brunt of the festivities. Greater Chennai Corporation experienced particularly high pollution spikes, with Valasaravakkam recording the highest AQI at 343, followed closely by Nungambakkam (332), Sowcarpet (311), and T. Nagar (306)—all slipping into the “Very Poor” category.

Conversely, Thiruvottiyur registered the lowest AQI in the capital at 183 (Moderate). Similar trends were mirrored in ambient noise levels, the state’s average noise intensity on Deepavali night climbed from 75.70 A-weighted decibels dB(A) in 2025 to 76.73 dB(A) in 2026.

Peak noise levels in Chennai ranged from a low of 77.4 dB(A) in Thiruvottiyur to a high of 88.6 dB(A) in Valasaravakkam. Environmental experts attribute the broader surge to a combination of firecracker emissions and unfavorable local meteorological conditions, including wind speed and atmospheric stability.

In response to these findings, the TNPCB has emphasized that ongoing public awareness campaigns, strict regulatory enforcement, and regular community engagement are vital to mitigating future festival-related environmental hazards and safeguarding public health, the release added.

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