DCs asked to help implement SC's restrictions on firecrackers
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) has decided to carry out a fortnight-long drive in Guwahati city and a two-day drive in seven other places from Monday to monitor noise and air pollution due to busting of firecrackers on account of Diwali.
In a letter to the Deputy Commissioners of all districts of the State, the PCBA has said that the initiative is being taken to ensure implementation of the Supreme Court's judgment dated July18, 2005, whereby the apex court had imposed restrictions on bursting of firecrackers. The letter mentioned that the relevant judgment had imposed a total ban on bursting of sound-emitting firecrackers between 10 pm and 6 am. Moreover, the Supreme Court had prohibited manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers that generate noise levels exceeding 125 decibel or 145 decibel.
The PCBA informed the DCs concerned that it will carry out a pre-Diwali ambient air quality and noise-level monitoring on October 18 in certain locations at Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Tezpur, Silchar and Bongaigaon, which will be followed by a similar drive on Diwali day, i.e., October 24.
The letter further informed that the PCBA will also conduct a monitoring campaign in Guwahati that will start a week before Diwali and continue till a week after the festival.
Stating that PCBA officials will carry out inspection and monitoring on premises of firecracker stockists to stop the use of banned items at sources, the letter requested the Deputy Commissioners to depute one officer of magistrate rank to accompany the respective monitoring teams.
The letter also mentioned that monitoring of noise-level alone will also be carried out in Nalbari, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Hojai, Charaideo, Jorhat, North Lakhimpur, Hailakandi, Karimganj and Barpeta.
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