Smog delays flights in Chennai

CHENNAI: Two flights were diverted and 16 flights were delayed due to poor visibility caused by smog from 6am to 8.30am at Chennai airport on Sunday.
Smog was caused after residents burned tyres, plastics and other wastes to mark Bhogi, beginning of harvest festival Pongal.
Visibility dipped to 350metres for two hours while airport needs 550 metres to operate flights.
A senior official said that there was no improvement in visibility this year when compared to last year.
Airports Authority of India and district administration usually carry out campaigns every year at neighbourhoods around the airport to tell people not to burn waste for Bhogi. But people continue the practice which affects flights.