Diwali and Chhath Puja were relatively silent this year than what they used to be a couple of years ago but a new phase of noise menace has started with the current wedding season.
Sounds of firecrackers being burst during, before or after weddings are blaring across the city. Even worse is the use of loudspeakers and playing of DJ music at wedding venues.
Wedding planners said reputable venues did not allow guests to burst crackers but it was beyond their control if the bride or the groom’s family burst crackers during processions or in their houses.
“For the last few days, I have been hearing continuous sounds of firecrackers in the evening. I never heard so many firecrackers being burst during the wedding season in earlier years,” said a resident of Kasba in south Kolkata.
A resident of Gariahat echoed him. He said the sound of some of the crackers was sometimes as loud as that of thunder.
Residents from various places in Kolkata have complained to environment activists about the noise nuisance.
Naba Dutta, the general secretary of Sabuj Mancha, an umbrella organisation of environment activists and organisations, said they received complaints of DJ music being played at a ceremony house in Ballygunge a few days ago.
The Mancha forwarded the complaint to the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) and police. “This is like a cat-and-mouse game. They stop when the police go and start again when the police leave,” Dutta said.
Ceremony houses are usually owned by people with clout in the respective areas, he said. As a result, those hiring ceremony houses enjoy immunity from penal action even if they violate the noise rule.
“We had moved the state PCB in 2019 asking them to crack down on bursting of firecrackers in weddings. Last year, things were quieter as very few guests were allowed in weddings because of Covid. But the situation has worsened this year. This is only the beginning of the wedding season,” said Dutta.
The worst sufferers are those living in the immediate vicinity of ceremony houses. On several days during winter they have to bear with the noise of firecrackers and loud music.
An official of the state PCB said bursting firecrackers during a wedding was illegal and anyone caught doing so could be prosecuted.
He, however, added that they did not receive any complaint from anyone. “An order issued by the PCB in October mentioned that firecrackers were completely banned. Only green crackers were allowed on specific days but the exemption does not apply to weddings,” said the official.
“We take action as and when we receive a complaint,” said a police officer. “Green crackers are not manufactured in Bengal. All firecrackers being burst here are banned firecrackers.”
Some wedding organisers spoke of the urge to burst crackers among families at weddings.
“We do not encourage it at all. Most venues prohibit bursting of crackers on their premises, making our job easier. Some families still burst crackers in baraats (wedding processions) on the road, at their own risk,” said a wedding planner.
“We clearly tell clients that there is no point in inviting the attention of cops in the middle of celebrations.”