Mumbai: The 10 pm deadline for bursting firecrackers was flouted in several parts of Mumbai on Laxmi Puja night on November 8, according to a report by anti-pollution campaigner Awaaz Foundation, which monitored noise and air pollution levels at various locations.
Firecrackers Burst At Carter Road, Marine Drive And Other Mumbai Locations
Awaaz Foundation reported sporadic bursting of firecrackers on public roads at Bandra (Carter Road), Mahim, Dadar, Shivaji Park, Prabhadevi, Worli, Haji Ali, Marine Drive, Cuffe Parade and Colaba between 8 pm and 11.15 pm. The organisation reported a visible police presence at Cuffe Parade and Carter Road. However, firecrackers were still burst along the Carter Road promenade at 11.15 pm and at other locations after the 10 pm deadline, despite police attempts to stop the activity.
Residents Complain Of Firecracker Bursting Between 10 PM And 6 AM
Awaaz Foundation said it had received numerous complaints from the western and eastern suburbs about extensive firecracker use, particularly between 10 pm and 6 am. Under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, the permissible noise limit for residential areas during night-time is 45 dB, and bursting firecrackers is prohibited during this period.
However, decibel readings could not be recorded this year as firecracker use was sporadic and spread across several locations, unlike in previous years when the activity was concentrated at places such as Marine Drive.
Construction-Site Pollution Monitors Show Contrasting Air Quality Readings
The study also found a stark difference between pollution readings displayed by construction-site monitors and those recorded by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) stations in the same areas. For instance, readings from 12 construction-site monitors in Bandra and Khar showed PM2.5 levels of 50.4 µg/m³, which falls in the 'satisfactory' category. However, CPCB readings for the area showed an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 231, classified as 'poor'. Mumbai's PM2.5 levels touched 192 µg/m³.
The study found that several air pollution monitoring displays were either non-functional or showing questionable readings. One board on Turner Road was blank, while another was frozen, displaying a reading from 11.32 am on October 11. A monitor at Pali Hill displayed the time as 6.45 am, while other boards showed readings timestamped between 8.42 am and 9.10 am. One monitor displayed a temperature of 45°C at 8.42 am.
'Mumbai Residents Lack Reliable Local Pollution Data,' Says Sumaira Abdulali
Sumaira Abdulali, convenor of Awaaz Foundation, said the monitoring of noise and air pollution levels had exposed the same information gap. "Mumbai's residents still do not have reliable, local information on the pollution they are living in," she said.
In a letter dated November 9 to the Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Member-Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Awaaz Foundation appealed for strict enforcement of the 10 pm firecracker deadline, including on promenades and inside housing societies. It also called for action against the bursting of firecrackers on terraces.
The organisation also sought the deployment of mobile air quality monitoring vans in wards with high construction activity, such as Bandra and Khar, with their readings made publicly available. It further suggested setting up a public website where data from every construction site's monitor could be checked in real time against readings from the nearest CPCB station.
Awaaz Foundation also sought an announcement on the scope, agency and timeline of the proposed independent audit. In the meantime, it called for faulty display boards to be repaired or removed so they do not mislead residents.
The foundation said it had requested in an earlier letter that mobile monitoring vans be deployed during Diwali to provide accurate, localised air quality information. "No vans were visible at any of the sites we visited," said Abdulali.
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