Kolkata and adjoining district towns welcomed the New Year with bursting of firecrackers, even after the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) as well as NGOs jointly had urged for a safe celebration of NY 2024. The revellers burst crackers in the vicinity of several hospitals in the city on Monday night.

Use of sound crackers, fireworks and openair DJ music were virtually unbearable to residents of southern and northern parts of the city, Salt Lake, Howrah, Barasat, and many other areas as soon as the countdown for NY started on Sunday. According to the sources in the WBPCB, the sound limit in the central part of the city was more than 76 decibels for about 30 minutes from around 11.50pm on Sunday.

Normally, the sound limit in the particular zone remains within 65 dB. Bursting of high decibel fireworks was also reported in the Kasba area, where sound limit crossed 87 dB during NY celebration on Monday night. The usual sound limit in the area hangs around between 70 and 72 dB. Sound pollution was very high in Birati, Barasat, Howrah town, Shibpur, Salkia, Bagbazar and Liluah, where sound level exceeded 75 dB on an average. Sound pollution was beyond the normal range of around 40 dB in silent areas of different hospitals during the NY celebration.

For instance, pollution level in areas close to SSKM Hospital and R G Kar Medical Hospital was around 60 dB after 12 on Monday night. To ensure an eco-friendly festivity, citizens were granted a 35-minute window from 11.55pm on 31 December to 12.30am on 1 January to burst firecrackers by the WBPCB. The emphasis was on the use of green fireworks. The board had also assured to take strict measures to maintain noise levels within limits set by a Calcutta High Court directive.

Bursting of high decibel firecrackers, exceeding 125dB, would lead to stern action by both police and WBPCB officers. Openair DJ music was also prohibited across the city. A top officer of the WBPCB said, “Yes, bursting of firecrackers in several areas were virtually uncontrolled last night during the NY celebration. We are collecting data from our both sound and noise pollution monitoring devices installed in the city and other places. Tomorrow, we will get a complete picture and reports from police administrations also.”