To implement the Supreme Court ban on certain firecrackers, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) tested some on Wednesday and found that but for chain or garland-like firecrackers, the rest were below permissible noise levels. They were also found to be less noisy than the versions tested last year.
However, there is no clarity on whether the tested crackers pass the stipulated chemical guidelines mandated by the top court. To test the chemical ingredients, MPCB will send samples to labs and then submit a report.
"We are sending all the firecrackers for a detailed chemical analysis after which we will have a clear idea of their chemical composition," says Dr VM Motghare, joint director of Air Pollution Control, MPCB, adding, "if they are made of banned ingredients, we will report them to the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO)."
MPCB and the NGO Awaaz Foundation tested 42 varieties including bombs, garland firecrackers and sparklers.
The government body found that the most din was caused by chain or garland crackers, namely the 5,000-piece lari (recording 111.3dB when the permissible limit is 106) and the 10,000-piece lari (which recorded 111.2dB, surpassing the permissible noise levels of 105). MPCB will alert the Controller of Explosives, Nagpur regarding it.
Of the 42 crackers tested, 26 displayed their incomplete chemical composition on the boxes, while 16 did not mention any chemical ingredients at all; 38 varieties did not mention the noise limits on the box; only four had the information.
"It was found that the noise from all other firecrackers ranged between 75dB to 94dB, which is under permissible limits. This is proof that MPCB's strict testing over the years is showing results," Motghare said. She added that while single-cracker bombs have been found to be the noisiest, they were toned down this year, and ranged between 80dB to 88dB.
Sumaira Abdulali, convenor of Awaaz Foundation and anti-noise pollution crusader said that the overall noise levels have been reducing consistently over the past decade, indicating the success of the campaign
"However the Supreme Court judgment directs that only licensed vendors can sell 'green' crackers," she adds. "By definition, these would be those that do not pollute the environment. In a recent report by the World Health Organization said that humans should not be exposed to noises over 70dB at any time. All the tested crackers violate this level."