Fire-crackers were banned, but other factors made Diwali ‘noisy’
01 Dec 2020 07:32:33
By Kaushik Bhattacharya :
Despite ban on use and sale of fire-crackers this Diwali in city, the Festival of Lights was noisier than the one last year, revealed the noise pollution data of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), recently. The MPCB carries out the ambient noise monitoring during the period of Diwali in the State every year. The monitoring was done at 158 locations in 27 different municipal corporations, including 10 locations in Nagpur. The permissible noise limit during the day time is 65 decibels (dBA) and during night, it is 55 dBA. However, on the day of Diwali, this year, the noise level during day time (6 am to 10 pm) was 70.2 dBA, whereas in 2019, it was 68.7 dBA.
At night time (10 pm to 6 am) this year, the noise level was 66.9 dBA and in 2019, it was 63.0 dBA. Similarly, on the day of Bhai Duj this year, the noise level during day time was 66.5 dBA, while last year, it was also 66.5 dBA. At night time this year, the noise level was 58.0 dBA, and 59.1 dBA last year. A M Kare, the Regional Officer of MPCB, Nagpur, said, “This Diwali seemed to be noisier than the last year as per the data. Despite ban on fire-crackers, people bursted crackers, including ‘green’ crackers during Diwali.” MPCB issued guidelines to district administration and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for use of ‘green’ fire-crackers only, but people bursted fire-crackers without permission, he added.
As per the data provided by the Board, the noise level during day time on Diwali was excess as compared to the night time. However, people burst fire-crackers after Laxmi Puja at night, but the noise level this Diwali was on the higher side during day time. “Vehicular, construction and industrial noises are other factors behind the noise pollution in the city during Diwali and fire-cracker is the add-on,” said Kare. Amid the pandemic situation, National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order that focused on air pollution, instructed Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards to impose ban on fire-crackers where air quality is poor. However, people ignored the restriction and bursted fire-crackers, which resulted in rise in noise and air pollution this Diwali. Along with Nagpur, the noise level in other three cities of Vidarbha, including Akola, Amravati and Chandrapur, also were poor on the day of Diwali. However, last year, the noise levels in all three cities were better than this year.