A last-minute attempt by Kolkata Police to conduct noise-level checks on Diwali firecrackers to be sold at official Bazi Bazars had to be called off on Wednesday after none of the invited pollution-monitoring agencies turned up for the tests.
The police had invited the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), and the state pollution control board (PCB) to attend a sound test scheduled at Tala Park. However, officials from none of the three agencies were present at the venue.
An official of the PCB said they received the police’s letter only on Wednesday morning. “We did not receive any communication on Tuesday. The letter reached us only after we arrived in office on Wednesday,” said a senior PCB official.
The test was scheduled to begin at 11am. Police officers and several firecracker retailers had reached Tala Park by then. But by 1.10pm, with no sign of the other agencies, the police called off the test.
“We waited for over two hours. None of the representatives from NEERI, PESO, or the PCB turned up. Without them, we couldn’t proceed,” said Sekharesh Nath, assistant commissioner of police, who was present at the site.
“We are not experts who can determine if crackers are within permissible sound limits. Scientists from NEERI, PESO and the PCB are equipped to measure decibel levels,” said another officer.
Metro had reported on Monday and Tuesday that noise tests to measure the decibel levels of firecrackers had not been conducted this year, raising concerns that authorities might have skipped the mandatory checks. Green activists said the absence of tests raised the risk of firecrackers far exceeding permissible noise limits being used across the city.
Retailers said such tests are usually held several days before the start of Bazi Bazars. This time, they were informed only on Tuesday evening about the test scheduled for the next morning.
This year, the bazars began on Tuesday across four venues — Tala Park, Shahid Minar ground, Behala Blind School ground, and Aguan Sangha in Kalikapur — and will continue until Diwali.
Noise checks are meant to ensure compliance with the permissible limit of 125 decibels, measured at a distance of 4 metres. Only green crackers — those that emit 30% less particulate matter than conventional ones — are allowed under court orders. But buyers currently have no way to verify whether the crackers being sold comply with these norms.
Previously, green crackers carried QR codes that helped identify certified products. But NEERI has now discontinued the QR codes and instead uploaded a list of 1,403 registered manufacturers. “Any cracker produced by these units will be considered green,” said R.J. Krupadam, a chief scientist at NEERI.
“Our role is limited to providing the formulation that, if followed, will keep crackers within permissible noise and emission limits,” he said.
Kalyan Rudra, chairperson of the state PCB, told Metro on Wednesday evening that the Supreme Court has clearly stated PESO is responsible for verifying whether crackers are manufactured according to green formulations and adhere to sound and pollution norms.
He also criticised the timing and location of the planned test. “Green crackers cannot be tested in the open. These tests should have been completed days in advance, not when the Bazi Bazars have already started. We have a facility in Haldia where such tests can be conducted in an enclosed environment,” Rudra said. He added that the crackers should have been taken there and tested by PESO scientists.
Ajai Singh, joint chief controller of explosives (east circle) at PESO, confirmed that the agency lacks the equipment to conduct field tests in Calcutta. “Our testing facilities are in Nagpur. We couldn’t have conducted the test at Tala Park on Wednesday,” he said.
Singh added that PESO conducts random checks by collecting samples from the market but visiting all manufacturers is not feasible.