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Annual Report 2007-08 Chapter 11 nvironmental noise pollution is not an entirely NOISE Enew phenomenon, but rather has been a problem that has grown steadily worse with time. Man is facing an increasing problem with noise POLLUTION pollution which affects the health of a person, his activities and mental abilities. Apart from noise induced deafness, most of the effects of noise can CONTROL be reduced with proper monitoring and control of the noise at its source, along the path that the noise takes and at the point of its reception. Over all, these aspects need proper planning and forethought. For the last few years the West Bengal Pollution Control Board has been conducting noise pollution monitoring programme during various festivals as well as road traffic noise survey in some selected locations in Kolkata. Noise pollution during Festivals Noise Pollution problem due to indiscriminate use of loudspeakers during festivals is a common menace throughout the country. The WBPCB started monitoring the noise level emitting from loudspeakers in some puja pandals, different communal gatherings etc. to assess the adverse impacts on the ambient noise level. The Board started noise monitoring survey during Durga Puja since 1993 and during Kali Puja and Diwali since 1996. During this period the Board organized a study to assess the auditory problem among the exposed urban population. The study revealed that the noise emitted due to playing loudspeakers in different community Puja Pandals and bursting firecrackers cause a severe health hazard and inconvenience to the people at large. To minimize noise pollution level and to 88 CHAPTER -11 Annual Report 2007-08 save the human being the Board has started Control Board has issued several noise monitoring programme with the help of directions to all concerned to take steps the Police Authority, Puja organizers, different accordingly to control noise pollution by Social Welfare Organizations, and NGOs. The way of fixing sound limiters in the Board conducts noise monitoring survey every microphones/loudspeakers and year during the festive days (Durga puja, Kali maintain ambient noise level as per puja, Diwali, Jagadhatri puja etc.) to keep prescribed standard, preventing vigilance regarding violation of the following bursting of banned firecrackers like rules and orders: Chocolate Bomb, Chain Crackers, Kali Patka, Dhani Patka, Dodoma, Rocket 1. The Hon’ble Calcutta High Court has Bombs etc. which generate noise more issued orders to control noise pollution than 90 dB(A) impulse measured at a and bring the noise level within distance of 5 meters from the point of permissible limit by using of sound bursting. limiters in the amplifier system of microphones and take steps to ban the Noise Pollution monitoring during Durga loud noise making fire crackers. Puja, Kali Puja and Diwali 2. As per the order of The Hon’ble Calcutta The Board takes necessary actions to check High Court the West Bengal Pollution noise and other pollution-related problems Table – 11.1: Noise Level on Kali Puja compared to a normal day in 2007 Location Noise Level in dBLAeq Normal Day (before Kali Puja) Kali Puja Day % Increase Salt Lake- Sector-III 60 65 8 Lake Town- B Block 67 76 13 Kankurgachi-Scheme VIIIM 64 67 4 Beliaghata CIT Building 70 68 -3 Behala- Biren Roy Road 74 75 1 Minto Park- Sarat Bose Road 74 79 7 Kalakar Street- Burrabazar 72 77 7 Jadavpur 8B Bus Terminus 74 79 7 Rabindra Sarani- Ganesh Takie 70 74 6 Talapark- Belgachia 62 68 10 Howrah Maidan 69 78 13 Kadamtala 71 78 10 Mandirtala 75 74 -1 Baranagar 69 80 16 Nagerbazar 68 80 18 Baguihati-Jagra 57 64 12 Kasba-Bosepukur 77 79 2 Ballygunge Place 64 75 17 Tollygunge-Golf Club Road 72 74 3 New Alipur B-Block 70 68 -3 CHAPTER -11 89 Annual Report 2007-08 during Durga Puja, Kalipuja and Diwali. The to a normal day varies from 1% to 18% WBPCB had set up a Special Control Room at (Table – 11.1) its Head Office at Paribesh Bhawan, Bidhan 9 Increase of noise level is not alarming as Nagar and other Regional offices, like Howrah, the noise level in different locations on Hooghly, Kankinara, Durgapur, Haldia, Malda Kali Puja is within 90 dB (A) and Siliguri as well as Asansol Sub-Regional office to receive any complaints over phone Table – 11.2: Comparative statement of Noise level against the violation of noise norms in case of during Kali Puja during 2006 and 2007 loudspeakers and fire-crackers. Apart from this, Location Noise Level in dBL the mobile teams from Head Office and other Aeq 2006 2007 Regional offices patrols in Kolkata, Howrah, Salt Lake and other district towns in the Sate. The Salt Lake- Sector-III 69 65 survey continues for four days on Sasthi, Howrah Maidan 76 78 Saptami, Astami, and Nabami of Durgapuja, one Lake Town- B Block 70 76 day each for Kali Puja and Diwali. Kadamtala 75 78 To conduct the survey the Board selects 20 Kankurgachi-Scheme VIIIM 73 67 locations every year in Kolkata and Howrah, like Mandirtala 77 74 Salt Lake, Lake Town, Kankurgachhi, Beliaghata, Beliaghata CIT Building 72 68 Behala, Minto park, Burrabazar, Jadavpur, Baranagar 72 80 Rabindra Sarani, Talapark and Howrah Maidan, Behala- Biren Roy Road 78 75 Howrah-Kadamtala, Howrah-Mandirtala, Baranagar, Nagerbazar, Baguihati-Jangra, Kasba- Nagerbazar 73 80 Bosepukur, Ballyganj Place, Tollygunge Golf Club Minto Park- Sarat Bose Road 76 79 Road and New Alipur B Block. On a normal Baguihati-Jagra 68 64 working day, between 6.00 p.m. and 10.00 p.m., Kalakar Street- Burrabazar 78 77 the microphone of the Sound Level Meter fitted Kasba-Bosepukur 77 79 with windscreen was placed 1.5 m above the Jadavpur 8B Bus Terminus 78 79 ground and at least 1 m from the facade of the building at each location. Data recorded at each Ballygunge Place 76 75 location were used to compute the one-hour Rabindra Sarani- Ganesh Takie 78 74 equivalent continuous noise level Leq. Tollygunge-Golf Club Road 70 74 The noise survey results reveal slight Talapark- Belgachia 70 68 increase in the ambient noise level in various residential areas in Kolkata and Howrah on the New Alipur B-Block 75 68 day of Kali Puja in comparison to any normal The main observations are summarized day. The main cause of increase in the ambient below: noise level during festivals is bursting of banned crackers, whereas in normal days, the main 1. Comparing the data of last three years contributors to the ambient noise level of any (2005, 2006, 2007) there is decrease in noise level in some sample locations. residential area are trade activities, transport system and various domestic activities. The 2. There is a remarkable rise in noise level main observations are summarized below: in some of the locations under West Bengal Police area (Barranagar, 9 Increase of the noise level at the selected Nagerbazar, Howrah-Maidan, Kadamtala locations on the Kali Puja day compared etc.), 90 CHAPTER -11 Annual Report 2007-08 Table - 11.3: Complaint received during Kali Puja & Diwali Year Festival Days Kolkata West Bengal No. of complaints No. of complaints Police Area Police area against bursting against playing of crackers of loudspeakers 2006 Kali Puja Day (21.10.06) 14 16 26 4 Diwali Day (22.10.06) 4 11 11 4 2007 Kali Puja Day (09.11.07) 13 27 35 5 Diwali Day (10.11.07) 5 18 17 6 Table - 11.4: Status of the Complaints received during Durga Puja Year No. of complaints Name of the Police Stations 2006 25 Jadavpur, Baguihati, Noapara, Kasba, Behala, Muchipara, , Lake, Chandannagore, Bidhannagar- North & East, Jagaddal, Watgunge, Ballygunj, Shyampukur, Titagarh, Chinsura, Datan 2007 21 Jadavpur, Kasba, Muchipara, Bidhannagar- East & South, Dum Dum, Khardah, Burranagar, Regent Park, Sibpur, Thakurpukur, Laketown, Mogra, Chitpur, Gariahat, Bally, Bhawanipur Awareness campaign and specific network that has been set up in the Board as measures well as in the Police departments. The nodal network comprises one official of the WBPCB The WBPCB gave a wide publicity on the and one official of the Police (Kolkata Police and specific norms related to loudspeakers and West Bengal Police as applicable) to enhance firecrackers through electronic and print media. interdepartmental coordination in Kolkata and The 5000 festoons on various pollution norms districts. were distributed to 60 enlisted NGOs of State Board prior to festive season. These banners are This several hybrid type fireworks having displayed at various crowded places in and both light emitting and sound emitting around renowned Puja Pandals as well as near capabilities were available in the market. The schools and hospitals for creating awareness joint raids with police were conducted prior to among general public. Apart from this, the Kali Puja at various storing and selling places members of puja organizers and NGOs of fireworks in and around Kolkata including distributed leaflets on noise pollution for public two magazines at Barasat and Uluberia. The awareness. information received regarding the seizer of prohibited fireworks, number of arrests and The WBPCB has taken a major step to redress number of cases registered from police the noise and other pollution related problems departments are summarized and furnished in of the people in the State through the nodal the Table – 11.5. CHAPTER -11 91 Annual Report 2007-08 Table 11.5: District wise information of seizure and arrest against the use, sale and storage of banned crackers received from West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police authorities Name of Districts Seizure Arrest Cases registered South 24 Parganas 440 Kgs 30grn1s & 20965pcs of Crackers 56 22 North 24 Parganas 1093 Kg of Crackers 25 05 Nadia 87Kg, 395 packets & 494pcs of Crackers 13 Nil Howrah 782 Kg & 41966 pcs of Crackers 51 14 Murshidabad Nil Nil Nil Hooghly 2935 Kg of Crackers Nil Nil Burdwan 10Kgs & 2692 packets of Crackers 45 01 Birbhum 05Kgs of Crackers worth of Rs.800/- 01 Nil Bankura Nil Nil Nil Purulia Crackers worth of Rs.