Anticipating a rise in noise pollution during Diwali, anti-noise campaigner and convener of Awaaz Foundation Sumaira Abdulali wrote to the police

‘Cops must notify rules on crackers’

Anticipating a rise in noise pollution during Diwali, anti-noise campaigner and convener of Awaaz Foundation Sumaira Abdulali wrote to the police department on Friday demanding immediate notification on norms related to the use of firecrackers. In her letter sent to several high-ranking officials, Abdulali demanded that the draft firecracker notification sent to the high court in 2010 be “notified immediately” and requested the implementation of six other measures related to law enforcement to help regulate noise levels. “People bursting crackers don’t know what is legal and what is not. Notifying the rules will clarify a lot of things which will be helpful to people and enforcement agencies. Now is the right time to notify the rules so there is at least some time, before Diwali begins, for people to understand,” Abdulali said. This year even, less noisy festivals such as Janmashtami and Navratri, registered a record rise in decibel levels. Diwali is expected to be noisier with the absence of any clarity about noise limits for crackers. Abdulali was supported by other environment activists. Stalin D, project director at NGO Vanashakti, said, “For the last five years, we have been hearing about the plan to ban high decibel crackers, but this was never done. Bursting such crackers is like exploding mini-grenades in residential areas. It affects the health of senior citizens and, more severely, animals.” Underlining the responsibility of the city police, Abdulali stressed in her letter that “the Mumbai police are vested with the responsibility of enforcing noise rules under the Environment Protection Act and also provisions relating to all explosive devices through their Arms and Ammunition Department.” DCP and spokesperson for the Mumbai police Nisar Tamboli said that he had no idea about the draft till implemented, assuring that regular measures will be taken as per the law.