Govt agencies differ on pollution data

Nagpur, Dec 2

Generally the pollution levels during Diwali go up and hence the monitoring agencies were keeping a strict eye on the Diwali pollution levels this year.

The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) had claimed that the noise pollution during this Diwali was less compared to last Diwali, but the data released by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has claimed that the sound pollution was more this year. Now the question is whom to believe.

MPCB said that this year on Diwali the sound levels were at 66.5 DBA while last year on October 27 it was at 63.0 DBA, according to MPCB. While Neeri had claimed that the levels were low, as this year less number of crackers were burst.

MPCB said that the increase in noise pollution levels can be attributed to traffic, industry and the construction activity, which is going on in the city.

But people are saying that these three factors were present last year as well and why did the noise levels have gone up? As there are no industrial units working in the night and the vehicular traffic has also reduced significantly after lockdown and no construction activities are going on in night. Most of the environmentalist believe that when less crackers were burst this Diwali, how come the noise levels have gone up?

Lack of consensus unfortunate

Both are government agencies and are credible. It is very unfortunate that there is no consensus among them. Both agencies should have same view in future said, Kaustubh Chatterjee, Green Vigil Foundation.

Noise levels were more

The noise pollution level compared to last year was more this year, though due to Covid directives, less number of cracker were burst this year.

M A Kale, regional officer, MPCB.