‘SC cracker order applies to both Kali Puja & Diwali’

KOLKATA: West Bengal Pollution Control Board chairman Kalyan Rudra on Wednesday made it clear that the 8pmto-10pm window for bursting crackers specified by the Supreme Court is applicable to both Kali Puja and Diwali.

Speaking to TOI, Rudra said the apex court order on the fireworks window was clear and did not leave any room for ambiguity to necessitate a separate notification from the board. “For Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the court has allowed crackers to be burst in the morning while limiting the celebration span to two hours. For others, including West Bengal, the 8pmto-10pm window will be in force,” he said.


He ruled out any confusion concerning whether the restriction was applicable to only Diwali or to Kali Puja as well. “In the order, ‘Diwali days’ has been mentioned. That includes Kali Puja, which is celebrated as ‘Chhoti Diwali’. We will forward copies of the SC order to all police stations. On Saturday, we will hold a meeting of Kolkata Police, Biddhannagar, Howrah and Barrackpore commissionerates and representatives of major highrises there to tell them about the court order and stress on the need for compliance,” he said.

The board on Wednesday began monitoring the air quality ahead of the twin festivals and will continue to track the quality of ambient air till October 14 as per the SC order.

In Kolkata, the monitoring is being done at Victoria Memorial, Behala Chowrasta and Shayambazar. The automatic station on Rabindra Bharati University’s BT Road campus will be added on Thursday.

In addition to PM2.5 and PM10, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide, these stations have been equipped to detect and measure traces of metals released into the air from bursting of crackers. The metals are aluminium, barium, iron, strontium and potassium.

“We shall collect the filters from the manual stations and analyze the contents for metal traces,” the board chairman said. The metals are added to fireworks to impart colour.

Like other years, the board will operate a helpline and set up a control room where violations can be reported. These will be immediately forwarded to the respective police stations. “Bengal has been on the forefront on enforcing a stricter noise ban. We will continue the vigil,” Rudra said.

Green action groups like Sabuj Mancha will also monitor the situation before 8pm and after 10pm to record violations and take legal course in case of police inaction.

Naba Dutta of Sabuj Mancha, an umbrella organisation of environment action groups, said, “The state government must publicize the 8pm-10pm window. Police must ensure that only crackers manufactured by licenced and approved units are sold. Like every year, we shall also patrol the streets, focusing on neighbourhoods with hospitals, to keep a check on violations. We shall record such violations on video and move court in case police does not step in.”