Like every year, the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) organised noise monitoring programmes against the indiscriminate use of loudspeakers and firecrackers during Durga Puja in the state. Noise pollution is a major area of concern due to its various health impacts hearing loss, disturbance of sleep, stress, annoyance to name a few. As a result, these programmes focussed on the use of sound limiters and restriction of the level of noise generated from microphones to its permissible limit.

All the offices of the Board organised these noise-monitoring sessions in their respective jurisdiction during the days of Durga Puja - 01.10.03 (Sasthi), 02.10.03 (Saptami), 03.10.03 (Asthami) & 04.10.03 (Nabami). The monitoring programmes were held in Kolkata, Salt Lake, parts of 24 Parganas (N) & (S), Howrah, Haldia, Hooghly, Barrackpore, Durgapur, Asansol and Siliguri. In order to receive public complaints over telephone, a Central Control Room was set up at the head office of WBPCB, located at Paribesh Bhawan and other Control Rooms, located at the Regional Offices of the Board.

Over the years, the Board has been receiving public complaints and imposing fines against the indiscriminate use of microphones and banned fireworks. This year, the State Board has received 63 complaints in all, which is being illustrated in the table below. Violators will be called for hearing at Paribesh Bhawan for regulatory action.

Public complaints received against the indiscriminate use of microphones

and banned fireworks during Durga Puja, 2003

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West Bengal Pollution Control Board
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