Bank More locality was the loudest in Dhanbad this Diwali and ironically, residents burst more crackers after the closure of the two-hour window set by Supreme Court for fireworks.

On Diwali night, between 10pm and 11pm, Bank More recorded 104.7 decibel, the highest among the three most densely populated areas of the coal capital, including Hirapur and Bartand, as per Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board data released HERE on Monday.

As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines, noise levels should be limited to 65 decibel during day and 55 decibel during night in commercial areas.

Between 10pm and 11pm on Diwali, noise level at Bartand was 101.5 decibel and at Hirapur 100.3 decibels.

JSPCB carried out a survey of noise levels between 6pm and midnight six days ahead of Diwali on November 1 as well as also on Diwali on November 7. Considering November 1 readings, JSPCB noted, that Bank More recorded 29 decibels more on Diwali night.

At Bank More, bursting of crackers was relatively low between 6pm and 7pm on Diwali, when the readings were 80.7 decibel. At Hirapur and Bartand, the readings around the same time-frame were 74.8 decibel and 69.4 decibel, respectively.

“We have not carried out a comparison of noise pollution data of this year and the last. We will undertake a comparative study after air pollution data from these areas are out as per air pollution measurements carried out between November 1 and November 15,” said JSPCB regional officer R.N. Chaudhary.

This year, Supreme Court had set a two hour window from 8pm for bursting crackers on Diwali.

According to data released last week, Ranchi’s Albert Ekka Chowk on Main Road was the noisiest during the two-hour window on Diwali, recording an average of 77.35 decibel that was slightly better than 2017 when it registered 78.58 decibel. Noise levels rose after 10pm when the area registered 79.8 decibel till 11pm, and 77.6 decibel after 11pm till midnight.

In Jamshedpur, the commercial hub of Sakchi was the noisiest. Sakchi roundabout registered 82.1 decibel between 8pm and 10pm on Diwali night, 86.1 decibel after 10pm and 78.8 decibel between 11pm and midnight. The readings were better than last year, when it recorded 100.9 decibel.