The regional office of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) in Adityapur will monitor noise pollution in as many as 13 places, two more than last year, and ambient air quality in three places two days before and on the day of Diwali on November 4.

The regional office, located in neighbouring Seraikela-Kharsawan district, has started groundwork for the survey after receiving a formal circular from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi, on Saturday.

A board official, S.K. Goswami, said that the decibel survey would be carried out in 13 residential, commercial and silence zones while air quality will be monitored at Bistupur, Adityapur and Golmuri. "Two new points near Tatanagar railway station at Telco have been added this year for the survey, " he said.

According to the official, three teams would be constituted for carrying out surveys before and on the day of Diwali.

The pollution watchdog would monitor ambient air quality by using respirable dust samplers that help in monitoring total suspended particles in the air apart from other pollutant gases like sulphur-dioxide and nitrogen-dioxide.

Some of the major places where the decibel check will be carried out include Sakchi, Bistupur, Golmuri, Sonari, Kadma, Adityapur, including Tata Main Hospital (in Bistupur) , near St Joseph's Cathedral in Golmuri and the new civil court premises at Bhuiyandih. Two portable noise meters would be used for monitoring the noise pollution.

Last year's survey revealed that Sakchi roundabout, a crowded commercial centre, topped the noise chart with 125 decibels (dB) on Diwali night while respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) at Golmuri was recorded 209 microgram per cubic metre (µg/m3).

Under CPCB norms, the permissible noise level in a commercial zone is 55dB between 10pm and 6am and the prescribed Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter ( RSPM) in ambient air is 100µg/m3.