For a whiff of fresh air

CHENNAI: One cannot walk barefoot or touch the walls of this high court, in spite of regular cleaning of the premises, as the iron ore/coal dust particles settling in the premises in high quantities every day would make hands and foot dirty in thick black colour. It naturally sends shockwaves through the nerves and makes one to think as to what we are breathing in—oxygen or these black particles?” That was the Madras high court on May 11 asking Chennai port to shift out coal handling.

The ruling came as a relief to Chennaiites, but it could be a while before the operations are shifted to Ennore port. When that happens, residents of Royapuram will breath easier, but many parts of the city will continue to put up with polluted air.

The air in residential areas like Mylapore, Anna Nagar and T Nagar is hardly breathable, with respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) going beyond the danger mark of 60 microgram per cubic metre. T Nagar has 121 microgram and Kilpauk 91 microgram of RSPM per cubic metre.

Activists have been busy protesting against infrastructure projects coming along the coastal zones. They want the recently-amended Coastal Regulation Zone rules restructured.

Adyar Poonga, the park spread over 58 acres around the Adyar creek, is being considered one of the best eco-restoration models in the country, especially in the middle of a metro city. But Chennaiites await a satisfactory progress of Cooum restoration project which has been moving at a snail’s pace due to lack of coordination between local bodies and government departments.