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ShareWhile decibel levels do tend to rise during Diwali, the level of noise pollution during Ganpati visarjan and during Navratri are far higher than during Diwali, says a report, prepared by the BMC and the Central Pollution Control Board.
According to the board, the decibel level in residential areas should be 55 dB (decibel) during the day and 45 dB at night, and in an industrial area, it should be between 70 to 75 dB.
However, according to a survey done at Girgaum chowpatty, Dadar chowpatty and Juhu chowpatty, during Ganpati festival and Navratri, decibel levels rose up to 98 dB and 99bd respectively. The procession path recorded higher decibel levels. At Girgaum chowpatty, it was 98 dB, at Dadar it was 85 dB.
While during the Ganapati festival and Navratri, the noise is continuous, during Diwali it is sporadic. However, firecrackers are among the biggest source of noise pollution.
A firecracker test conducted by Awaaz Foundation, the Mumbai police and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board jointly, showed that not a single tested firecracker complied with the statute for residential buildings excepting the hand held sparklers, said Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation.
Noise levels from various types of firecrackers, it was found, exceeded the maximum permissible limits for manufacture and almost all crackers excepting flowerpots and sparklers exceeded 100 dB.
