Pune: The level of noise pollution during Diwali has been increasing every year. This year, the noise pollution touched a maximum of 87.3 dB (decibels) during daytime in the city.
According to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), on Laxmi Pujan (November 7), the Mahatma Phule Mandai area recorded the highest 87.3 dB while the University Road area reported 75 dB, which was the lowest during daytime in the city.
The permissible noise level is 55 and 45 dB for residential areas, for commercial areas it is 65 and 55 dB while 75 and 70 dB for industrial areas for day and night hours, respectively. Nitin Shinde, Sub-Regional Officer of MPCB, said, “As compared to last year, the noise level this year was on the higher side mostly in the areas of Karve Road and Mandai. People did not follow the SC directive on bursting of firecrackers from 8 pm to 10 pm.”
The SC directive stated that only firecrackers with reduced emission and decibel levels would be permitted during all festivals.
On Laxmi Pujan day, the sound decibels recorded at night this year was highest at 80.7 dB in Mandai and lowest at 59.6 dB in Koregaon Park.
Last year, Laxmi Pujan, on October 20, had noise pollution level similar to this year. According to the MPCB data of 2017, on Laxmi Pujan day the highest sound decibel recorded was 85 dB on Laxmi Road and the lowest was 72.3 dB on University Road during the day, while at night, the highest recorded was 67.9 dB at Mandai and the lowest was 57.9 dB on University Road.
Similarly, last year in Pimpri-Chinchwad, highest noise pollution on the day of Laxmi Pujan was recorded at 75.9 dB in Pimpri, which was the highest and the lowest was 69.9 dB in Chinchwad at Chaphekar Chowk for the daytime and at night 65.3 and 57.8 dB were the highest and lowest recorded at Dange Chowk and Chaphekar Chowk respectively.
