Crackers could be heard till midnight on Tuesday on Kali Puja, albeit on a lower scale than last year, despite a ban on bursting of crackers after 10pm.

The Kamrup (metro) district administration had also banned the use of firecrackers producing noise over 125 decibels. An appeal was also made to the citizens to observe pollution-free Diwali.

The appeal seems to have struck a chord among the people in the city with most opting for earthen lamps and flower pots instead of bursting crackers.

People reported bursting of crackers long after the 10pm deadline in Panbazar, Uzan Bazar, Chandmari, Zoo Road and many other places. There was, however, fewer number of such cases when compared to the cases last year.

According to a Supreme Court ruling last month, the hours from 10pm to 6am are meant for sleeping and there should be no bursting of sound-producing crackers in this period.

Residents of Harijan Colony at Kahilipara in Guwahati sift thorugh the charred remains of their houses on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos

The Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA) is monitoring levels of pollution and noise in many parts of the city. A PCBA source said the ambient air quality was measured once on Tuesday and again on Wednesday night.

“We are gathering the data on two days of Diwali although we were instructed to do so only on Wednesday as people in the city indulge in bursting of crackers on the first day also, that is Tuesday. We measure the proliferation of suspended particles in the air, which is the indicator of air pollution. The data will be collated with earlier measurements to establish the difference in air quality. A report will be generated in a few days,” the source said.

Sound levels are being monitored every hour in busy places like Panbazar and Ganeshguri over the two days of the festival.

“Ambient noise is being measured every hour from 6am to midnight to determine the level of noise pollution. Police teams accompanied by magistrates have been instructed to apprehend anyone bursting loud crackers after the 10pm deadline.

“Violators will be fined or imprisoned according to the law,” the PCBA source said.

A district administration official also said teams comprising their officers, disaster management personnel and the police were conducting checks at shops selling crackers and are seizing the crackers that are known to make excessive noise.

Tragedy struck on Tuesday night when fire broke out in the Kahilipara area, gutting a score of huts. It took the fire and emergency personnel several hours to put out the blaze that rendered a large number of people homeless.

There were, however, no casualties. The cause of the inferno is suspected to be crackers.

A large number of accidents were reported from Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

GMCH superintendent Ramen Talukdar said, “We have had a large number of patients coming in because of accidents caused by drink driving. There were 37 emergency patients on Tuesday while the number increased to 50 till 2pm on Wednesday. Most of those injured were drunk. One person was brought dead.” He appealed to the youth not to drink and drive.