Quieter Diwali in Chandigarh; noise levels dip this year

Chandigarh, October 20

It was a quieter Diwali this year in the Union Territory, courtesy a high court order fixing a three-hour slot for bursting firecrackers in Punjab, Haryana and here.

In comparison to last year’s Diwali, there was a dip in noise levels across areas of the city and the sulphur dioxide levels also remained within permissible limits, the Pollution Control Board said here today.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on October 13 fixed three hours — 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm — for bursting firecrackers on Diwali in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh after noting the high levels of pollution from fireworks.

“The levels of sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen were within the permissible limits, and Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) levels drastically reduced in all the three zones as compared to previous Diwali,” the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee’s member secretary, P J S Dadhwal, said.

The noise level was recorded at 84.8 decibels (dB) between 9 pm to 10 pm this Diwali in residential zones, compared to 86.3 dB recorded during last year’s celebrations on October 30.

From 80.5 dB recorded in the same time period last year for silence zones, the level 72.7 dB this time, while for commercial zones it dropped from 68.8 dB to 62.3 dB.

Similarly, the RSPM level yesterday was recorded at 97 micrograms per metre cube, compared to last year’s 225 micrograms for commercial zones.

The levels fell from 330 to 172 micrograms in silence zones and from 316 to 169 micrograms in residential zones.

Meanwhile, a total of 28 patients were treated for firecracker related injuries at the emergency services of PGIMER’s Advanced Eye Centre last night, a spokesperson said today.

“Twelve patients were from Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula area, while 16 were from the neighboring states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh,” she said.

The youngest patient, who was admitted with an ocular injury, was seven years old, she said, adding that 10 people were injured while lighting firecrackers and 18 bystanders were injured due to the bursting of crackers. Nine patients required eye surgeries, she said. — PTI