BMC suspends anti-tandoor campaign after sharp drop in AQI

Bhopal : With the state capital’s air quality index (AQI) improving, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has suspended its anti-tandoor campaign launched against restaurants and eateries in the city. The civic body had banned the use of tandoors in restaurants and other eateries as they were considered one of the top contributors to rising air pollution in the state capital.

The Municipal Corporation administration clarified that its campaign is yielding good results and action will be taken if smoke is emitted from restaurants and eateries again.

BMC deputy commissioner (health) Yogendra Patel said BMC’s anti-tandoor campaign yielded good results and sent a message to restaurants, dhabas and eateries. Many eating places automatically switched from traditional tandoor to modified tandoor. And if traditional tandoor is found to be used again, BMC will take action against the eateries.

The anti-tandoor campaign was launched before Diwali and continued after the festival as the city’s air quality index (AQI) remained high then.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had taken note of the high pollution levels and directed the BMC to submit a weekly report to the tribunal.

The rains led to a sharp drop in AQI in Bhopal and other cities of the state, leading to significant improvement on the air pollution front in the respective areas.

After Diwali, the AQI of the city was 325 and currently it has come down to around 125 AQI with the rainfall of pollutants. The decline in AQI is due to the environmental phenomenon, however, the civic body administration is taking credit for it.

Environmentalist Dr SC Pandey said, “BMC had started the campaign and had to file a reply in the main bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on a weekly basis. The previous hearing was on December 5 and now the next hearing is scheduled on February 19, 2024 and since the rains helped in bringing down the AQI, the civic body has stopped the drive.