WBPCB to provide cops with sound limiter devices

Kolkata: The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) will equip patrolling police teams in Kolkata and its neighbourhood areas with sound limiter devices this Durga Puja to stop sound pollution.

"This is aimed at curbing sound pollution as we often hear from the cops about difficulties in measuring sound exceeding the specified 65 decibel limit at puja pandals and immersion processions," WBPCB Chairman Kalyan Rudra said on Wednesday.

WBPCB has launched a massive awareness programme urging people not to burst crackers that violate the 65 decibel limit. Booklets have been prepared and a book has been released by the state Environment minister Sovan Chatterjee urging people to follow the norm. The booklets and books meant to create awareness will be distributed among the school and college students and among local clubs.

The police will conduct massive raids in areas where crackers are manufactured particularly in South 24 Parganas. Raids are held at Bazi Bazar which is held in Maidan to ensure that high sounding crackers are not being sold clandestinely.

Because of sustained raids by the PCB and the police, the bursting of crackers above 65 decibels has gone down substantially and PCB officials felt that use of sound limiters this year will further bring down the number of crackers above 65 decibel.

Rudra said 720 sound limiter gadgets, which can immediately measure the sound level at a spot, would be handed over to Kolkata Police and Bidhannagar, Barrackpore police commissionerates.

"The members of the police team will also be trained by WBPCB experts on how to handle the gadget," he said.

Over 3,000 community Durga Pujas — big, medium and small — were organised in the city last year, according to a member of Forum for Durgotsav, a platform of Durga puja committees.

The PCB will urge people to use lights on the nights of Diwali and Kali Puja instead of crackers.