Raids Conducted in City Against Noise-Emitting Fireworks Banned by PCBA

GUWAHATI: The Kamrup (M) district administration, along with enforcement agencies, conducted raids on business establishments suspected of storing banned firecrackers in the Fancy Bazar area of Guwahati on Tuesday. During the raid, a large quantity of suspected noise- emitting firecrackers banned by the PCBA was seized.

Similar drives are expected to be continued in the city and other towns of the state prior to and during Diwali, after a letter informing about the ban on noise-emitting firecrackers was issued by PCBA to the Deputy Commissioners of all districts in the State.

According to a direction from the Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA), noise-emitting firecrackers would be completely prohibited throughout Assam between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM during Diwali.

The PCBA is acting in accordance with a 2005 Supreme Court ruling on the bursting of sound-emitting firecrackers. Higher decibel noise-emitting firecrackers are now prohibited by the PCBA.

The PCBA stated that the efforts are being taken to guarantee execution of the Supreme Court's verdict dated July 18, 2005, whereby the apex court had set limitations on the bursting of firecrackers, in a letter issued to the Deputy Commissioners of all districts in the State. The letter noted that the pertinent judgement banned the use of sound-emitting firecrackers between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The PCBA informed the concerned DCs that it would conduct a pre-Diwali ambient air quality and noise-level monitoring on October 18 in specific locations in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Tezpur, Silchar, and Bongaigaon, which would be followed by a similar drive on Diwali day.

On October 11, 2022, the PCBA issued a directive that states, "The manufacture, sale or use of firecrackers which generates noise level exceeding 125 dB or 145 dB at 4 metres distance from the point of bursting shall be prohibited." PCBA officials will monitor the commercial firecracker market and will conduct inspections to prevent the use of crackers with higher decibel levels.

The decision additionally specifies that the PCBA would monitor the air quality and noise levels throughout Assam on October 24, the day of Diwali, and on October 18, the day before Diwali. Additionally, from October 17, 2022 to October 31, 2022, or before and after Diwali, the ambient air quality of Guwahati will be tested daily for a period of fifteen days.

"We have not yet received any recommendations for the usage of firecrackers this Diwali; as of right now, the guidelines that were published last year will stay in place," said Shantanu Kumar Dutta, Member Secretary, Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA), in a statement.

According to rules announced by the Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA) last year, traditional firecracker sales and explosions are completely prohibited until further notice.

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