The evening of Kali Puja on Sunday was marked by unregulated bursting of banned firecrackers and noise pollution in Kolkata and suburbs. Although the Supreme Court has fixed the time for bursting of firecrackers from 8-10 pm, people still took to bursting banned firecrackers and flouted the time regulations as well.
Banned crackers with noise level above 90 decibels were burst in the city and suburbs throughout the evening. This was added to noisy speaker cones, sound boxes and DJ music.
Efforts were taken before Kali Puja from West Bengal Pollution Control Board and the state and city police authorities to spread awareness about the ill effects of noisy crackers, but it seemed to have had no impact.
WBPCB officials said that Baghbazar was the worst – with the highest noise pollution in the city. Complaints on loud music being played in their locality started pouring in to board’s office right from the evening from Baghbazar and adjoining areas. The police were immediately informed by the board. However, in many cases, before the police could reach, the noise level was brought down and the police team had to return.
WBPCB received 28 complaints on Saturday itself, which was the day before Kali Puja. Most of the complaints were about loud music being played.
Additionally, the board received 80 complaints till 9 pm on Sunday. These complaints were about bursting of banned crackers, loudly playing speaker cones and DJ music. Other areas in Kolkata and surrounding areas which suffered unrestricted bursting of banned crackers were New Town, Tollygunge, Baghajatin, Patuli and Behala. The condition was no different in areas like Dum Dum, Birati and Baguiati, where large number of banned crackers was burst.
Working alongside police, surveillance teams from WBPCB were also out monitoring the situation in the city, but they failed to effectively put an end to the nuisance before it was committed. Crackers continued to be burst throughout the night in various parts of city.
