The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) will launch an intensive awareness drive against noise and air pollution in schools and colleges soon.
The decision was taken after noise and air pollution levels continued to be above permissible limits on Diwali this year in the three major cities — capital Ranchi, industrial hub Jamshedpur and coal centre Dhanbad.
“We will be joining hands with NGOs and like-minded organisations in organising intensive awareness campaigns against noise and air pollution at schools and colleges so that youth and teenagers are made aware of the harmful effects of pollution well in advance of the festive reason,” said JSPCB member secretary Y.K. Das.
The JSPCB senior official admitted that merely issuing directives fixing time for bursting of crackers would not serve the purpose.
“The board has been fixing the time for bursting of crackers in accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines, which have to be implemented by the respective district administration at the ground level. Our regional offices monitor the air quality and noise pollution level and share the data with the government and propose future action.
“However, as it concerns religious sentiments, we feel intensive awareness among youths and teenagers will be more effective in tackling the problem,” said Das.
The JSPCB had issued an order allowing the bursting of firecrackers for two hours starting at 8pm on Diwali in an effort to reduce air and noise pollution.
On Gurpurab and Chhath, firecrackers may be set off between 8pm and 10pm while the hours will be 11.55pm to 12.30am for Christmas and New Year.
According to the JSPCB’s order, disobeying it would result in legal action under sections 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 37 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1981.
In Jharkhand, sound pollution in Ranchi’s silence zone rose 54.22 per cent above the permissible limit on Diwali.
However, compared with the pre-Diwali level on October 18, a week ahead of the festival, there was a 6.34 per cent increase in noise pollution on an average on Monday, the JSPCB official said.
The board monitored sound pollution levels at four locations in the city — Jharkhand High Court (silence area), Albert Ekka Chowk (commercial area), Kutchery Chowk (commercial area) and Ashok Nagar (residential area) — for six hours from 6pm on Monday.
At Albert Ekka Chowk and Kutchery Chowk, the sound pollution levels were 2.33 per cent and 1.96 per cent higher than pre-Diwali figures on October 18, respectively, according to the JSPCB data.
Similarly, Ashok Nagar recorded a 3.06 per cent rise above the pre-Diwali figures, according to data.
Family celebrates Diwali in Dhanbad
Ranchi’s silence zone recorded 69.4 decibels between 6pm and midnight on Diwali against the average permissible limit of 45 decibels. Ashok Nagar, a residential area, registered 55.46 decibels on an average during the period against the permissible level of 50 decibels.
The commercial areas of Albert Ekka Chowk and Kutchery Chowk recorded 75.33 decibels and 72.76 decibels, respectively, on an average against the 60-decibel permissible limit.
In Jamshedpur, the silence zone at Tata Main Hospital and New Court recorded 65.18 decibels and 69.28 decibels while commercial areas of Sakchi and Bistupur recorded 80.28 decibels and 78.6 decibels on Diwali night.
In Dhanbad, residential and commercial areas of Bartand witnessed 100.4 decibels while other commercial areas like Hirapur and Bank Mor recorded 98.5 decibels and 96.6 decibels on Diwali night.
