In a bid to curb noise pollution during Kali Puja, the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) continued the ban on firecrackers above the noise level of 90 decibel (db) in the State. Environmental activists, however, said that the step is “too late to be effective.”
The festivities start from today.
Even as WBPCB chairman Kalyan Rudra said that several measures have been taken, including the police raiding the places where “illegal” firecrackers are made, activists point out that such firecrackers are already in the market.
“The sale of firecrackers has also started. What is the point of conducting raids now?” said Naba Dutta, convener Sabuj Mancha (a platform of environmental groups).
He voiced his concern that noise pollution during Kali Puja will continue be a “menace” this year also.
The WBPCB officials, however, are hopeful that the measures will curb noise pollution due to firecrackers. “Apart from asking the police to crack down on illegal cracker makers, we have held meetings with clubs and housing complex committees and urged them not to use them,” Mr. Rudra toldThe Hindu . Places such as Nungi in South 24 Parganas and some areas in Howrah district are considered to be hub of fire cracker manufacturing in Bengal.
The notification, issued earlier this week, comes in the wake of the National Green Tribunal order on May 19 authorising the State Pollution Control Boards to fix the noise limit of firecrackers. It states that following the NGT order, the WBPCB set up an expert committee to recommend a noise limit for firecrackers to “safeguard” public health.
“Accordingly, the Committee decided that there was no justification to relax the existing noise limits of firecrackers in West Bengal that is 90 db (A) [unit of measuring sound levels in air] at five meter from point of bursting,” the notification stated.
In two meetings, held respectively on July 29 and September 9, the WBPCB committee observed that the bursting of firecrackers during Kali Puja raised the ambient noise level by more the 13db (A) compared to usual times.
They also pointed out the ill-effects of loud noise on human health pointed out in several research works.
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