NGO tests firecrackers for noise pollution
Mumbai: Awaaz Foundation, an organisation working to reduce noise pollution in the city, joined hands with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Mumbai police to conduct tests to assess the air and noise pollution impacts of firecrackers on Monday.
The tests, conducted at the Wadala Truck Terminal, came in the wake of the draft Bombay Prohibition and Regulations of Firecracker Rules 2008 draft notification, which prohibits the use of fireworks that produce sound exceeding 75 dB in industrial areas, 65 dB in commercial areas and 55 dB in residential areas. The notification also states that bursting firecrackers that generate noise above 125 dB within a radius of 4 m is prohibited.
The tests revealed that most firecrackers exceeded 100 dB levels and some, like the sutli or atom bombs, even produced noise above 133 dB. “The Mumbai police’s arms and ammunition wing should treat the crackers which produce over 120 dB of noise as illegal and confiscate them,’’ said Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation.
While most popular firecrackers did not mention the mandatory decibel levels, the readings for those that carried the information did not match with the decibel labels.
“The tests will help determine which firecrackers can be used in silence zones and residential areas and also whether they should be used beyond 10 pm,’’ said Abdulali.
MPCB’s member secretary Sanjay Khandare said the findings could be put to use while finalising the notification.