‘Stick to 2-hour window for bursting green firecrackers’

Kolkata: The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) on Thursday urged the representatives from different housing societies in the city and its adjoining urban areas to stick to the two-hour window from 8-10 pm for bursting of green firecrackers on Kali Puja and Diwali.

Senior officials from Kolkata Police, Bidhannagar City Police, Howrah City Police, Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, Chandannagar Police Commissionerate and representatives form 150 odd housing societies attended the meeting that was chaired by state PCB chairman Kalyan Rudra and member secretary Rajesh Kumar along with senior officials of the Board.

Member secretary of WBPCB Rajesh Kumar said that the Board will undertake drone surveillance for noise and air quality monitoring in different parts of the city and its adjoining areas. He urged the people to stick to the bursting of only green firecrackers as per the directions of the Supreme Court. The packets of such firecrackers have a mandatory QR code. The code certifies that the fireworks carry certificates from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and are manufactured by registered fireworks units.

The police were directed to prosecute offenders found violating the two-hour window.

Rudra said in the meeting that light emitting firecrackers have chemicals that are more damaging to the environment and hence appealed for sticking to the two-hour window.

Kumar lauded the role played by the police administration in the last two years where pollution during Diwali was much less in comparison to many other places. He asked for maintaining the same legacy for the sake of the environment.

“If the pollution is significant, it takes a long time to recover and with the winter pollution already making inroads, the situation may be worse,” a senior official of WBPCB said.