Curbing noise pollution during Durga Puja festivities hardly seems to be on the agenda of organisers.
According to the data released on Wednesday by Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) that monitored 98 Puja pandals across the city on October 1 and 2 — Ashtami and Navami — all but one exceeded the permissible sound level of 75 decibels (dB).
The cacophony was the same last year as well. Except one pandal, rest of the 176 in the city exceeded the permitted noise level during the last three days of Navratri in 2013.
This year, the pandals in Patna City were found to be the loudest during the festivities. Shri Vaishno Mata Puja Mandal at Shri Sitala Mata Mandir in Patna City was found the loudest this Dussehra at 105.7 dB.
Of the 98 locations monitored during the two days, 14 centres were found to be exceeding 100dB, while 83 were between 76 dB and 100dB. Eight of 14 noisiest pandals were from Patna City only. The lone pandal, which produced noise level lower than the permissible sound level was Sarwajanik Durga Puja Samiti at Kadamkuan at 70.8dB.
“The report on noise level monitoring in Patna during Durga Puja would be forwarded to the Patna district administration and the Central Pollution Control Board. We would seek action from the district administration against the violators of the noise pollution norms,” said Subhash Chandra Singh, chairman, BSPCB.
The BSPCB had divided the city in two parts for the purpose of noise monitoring — 76 pandals east of the Income Tax roundabout and 22 pandals towards its west. “It was found that the loudspeakers in most pandals were used only for important announcements after 10pm,” said a senior BSPCB official.
According to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, as amended in 2012, the noise level at market places between 6am and 10pm should be below 65 dB.
In 2013, Shri Maa Kali Puja Samiti at Makhania Kuan was the noisiest at 106.7 dB while in 2012 the Sri Sri Durga Puja Samiti pandal at Tedhighat Akhada was the loudest one with above 105.2 dB.
