A survey by a Delhi-based research organisation shows that the majority of people in Kolkata and elsewhere in Bengal do not support bursting of firecrackers.
Only seven per cent of the respondents strongly oppose a ban on fireworks and almost a similar number regularly burst fireworks.
The report, prepared by Climate Trends, was based on a survey of around 200 people.
It says 56 per cent of the respondents categorically want a ban on fireworks, while 31 per cent think such a ban “may be” enforced.
Lindsay Street in central Kolkata illuminated on Thursday evening
Collation of data suggests that those who burst fireworks regularly seem to be opposing the ban as eight per cent admitted to bursting fireworks on a regular basis.
Thirty-six per cent of the respondents burst firecrackers but “not much”, while 56 per cent do not burst crackers at all.
The survey also shows that 28 per cent of the respondents do not have any know-ledge about the firecracker ban, which was ordered by the Supreme Court in 2018.
According to the apex court’s order, only government-approved green firecrackers, which cause less pollution than conventional fireworks, could be burst from 8pm to 10pm on Diwali.
A hot air balloon being released from the terrace of a north Calcutta house
This year, Calcutta High Court intervened to ban all firecrackers, including green crackers. But the Supreme Court passed an order reinstating the two-hour window for bursting green crackers.
The survey shows that about 34 per cent of the respondents do not even want to burst green crackers.
“Where are green crackers? Who will ensure that the fireworks that are being burnt are green crackers? What system has the administra-tion put in place to identify violators?” asked Naba Dutta, of green platform Sabuj Mancha.
Visitors to a Kali Puja pandal in Kalighat in south Kolkata
Dutta accepted that people at large have started opposing fireworks in Kolkata as well as in other parts of the state.
“Immediately after Justice Bhagabati Prasad Banerjee passed his orders on noise pollution control, the state pollution control board carried out a survey. The survey showed that above 90 per cent of the respondents supported noise norms. Clearly, one out of 10 supports the use of fireworks,” said Biswajit Mukherjee, a former chief law officer of the state PCB and a high court-appointed special officer on noise.