PremiumAfter conducting independent tests to assess the noise level and presence of chemicals in the firecrackers, Mumbai-based NGO Awaaz Foundation has written to Mumbai Police and Maharashtra government about the presence of highly toxic chemicals in the firecrackers, which are hazardous to the health of the public.
Earlier, both the NGO and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) conducted tests to measure the noise level of firecrackers and found all to be within the permissible decibel limit of 120 DB. However, tests conducted by the organization independent of the pollution body found the presence of several toxic chemicals in the firecrackers like arsenic, sulfur, barium, and chlorine, the foundation's convener Sumaira Abdulali said.
"For the first time since we started testing in 2008, all crackers have fallen within the permissible decibel limit of 120. The maximum was 114 from a series of 10,000 crackers," Abdulali said.
The convener of the organization informed that even after a ban by Supreme Court on chemicals like barium, several commonly available firecrackers were manufactured using barium. Unlike last year, when barium was openly mentioned on the packaging of the firecracker, this year the manufacturers didn't mention it, but still kept the chemical in the firecracker.
Last year, the Supreme Court expressed serious concerns regarding the use of chemicals in firecrackers and its effects on people's health.
“We again reiterate the directions issued by this court earlier reproduced hereinabove including banning the use of barium salts in firecrackers, manufacturing and selling joined firecrackers and other directions issued by this Court reproduced hereinabove. We direct all the States as well as Union Territories to see that the directions issued earlier by this Court and issued by this Court today are strictly complied with in its true spirit and in toto," the apex court said in its ruling.
The NGO has submitted its findings to the police and authorities of the Maharashtra government and requested the government to ensure that no firecracker with banned chemicals should be distributed, sold, or used in Maharashtra.
With inputs from PTI