The West Bengal government on Friday asked the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), which functions under the Union government, not to approve any green crackers for West Bengal that emit more than 90 decibel of noise when measured at 5 metre from the blast point.
The Supreme Court has mandated that only NEERI-approved formulations for green crackers would be considered legal. The apex court has mandated a blanket ban on all other types of firecrackers.
“At today’s meeting we clearly communicated to the chief scientist of NEERI that the agency should not approve any formulation of green crackers for West Bengal whose noise level exceeds 90 decibel,” West Bengal Pollution Control Board chairman Kalyan Rudra said.
Apart from Rudra, environment minister Manas Bhuniya and fire minister Sujit Bose attended the meeting with the NEERI scientist.
The officials said a judicial verdict only allows fireworks that produce up to 90 decibel noise (measured at 5 metre from the source) in West Bengal. For the rest of India, the limit is 125 decibel.
During last year’s Diwali, it was alleged that the NEERI-approved fireworks sold in West Bengal produced more than 90 decibel noise and contributed to noise pollution.
Minister Bhuniya said: “We have decided to create a single-window system in the office of all district magistrates for clearing applications for manufacturing green crackers. A new application format will be created soon. We want people to manufacture green crackers but they have to follow the norms as the courts are keeping a close watch.”
Sources said the state now has only six valid green cracker manufacturing units, while thousands of units are said to be operating clandestinely.
“We have also discussed the modalities for creating a cluster for small firework units in South 24-Parganas. The department of micro, small & medium enterprises (MSME) is taking the lead,” said minister Bose.