Ghaziabad’s trans-Hindon less noisy than urban areas this Diwali

UPPCB officials said that they monitored noise pollution at Sector 16 and Vasundhara in trans-Hindon, and Model Town in Cis-Hindon areas of Ghaziabad from 6pm to 12am on Diwali

Ghaziabad: The spike in noise levels on Diwali, celebrated on October 24 this year, indicated that residents in city areas burst more crackers than those trans-Hindon areas, data recorded by the state pollution control board (UPPCB) showed. This despite that fact that the Ghaziabad district administration did not issue any retail licence for the sale of firecrackers this festive season, officials said.

Remnants of burnt firecrackers littered on the ground at Kavi Nagar the day after Diwali, in Ghaziabad. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

According to a Supreme Court order, the sale and use of traditional firecrackers is completely banned in the NCR. While the Uttar Pradesh government did not impose a blanket ban on green crackers like neighbouring Delhi, the Commission for Air Quality Management on September 13 this year ordered that the use of green crackers (certified by Petroleum & Explosive Safety Organisation) will be banned in NCR if the Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of the region crosses 200 (poor). To be sure, on October 24, Ghaziabad recorded an AQI reading of 300 (poor).

UPPCB officials said that they monitored noise pollution at Sector 16 and Vasundhara in trans-Hindon, and Model Town in Cis-Hindon areas of Ghaziabad from 6pm to 12am on Diwali.

According to the data, average noise levels on Monday were recorded at 75.9 decibels (db) at Model Town—much higher than the standard day time limit of 55db for residential areas—making it the second least noisy Diwali day since 2018. However, noise levels peaked to 101.8db on the day between 10 and 11pm, likely due to people bursting crackers, officials said.

Model Town recorded average noise levels of 72.2db, 76db, 78.1db and 77.4db on Diwali day in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

“Special noise monitoring indicated that the levels were higher than the standard limit of 55db. The major contributing factor was noise from bursting of firecrackers and from other sources near the monitoring locations,” said Utsav Sharma, regional officer of UPPCB, Ghaziabad.

On the other hand, trans-Hindon areas were less noisy on Diwali this year, data showed.

UPPCB recorded an average noise level of 72.6db at Vasundhara’s Sector 16--also the second least noisy Diwali since 2018 in the area. The figures reveal that noise levels peaked at 85.3db here between 10 and 11pm, likely due to people bursting crackers, officials said.

Vasundhara recorded average noise levels of 76.3db, 72.3db, 76.6db and 83.7db on Diwali day in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

“Except Kaushambi, residents burst crackers well into the night in nearby localities. The noise levels in the city should be monitored at different locations, and measuring these just two locations is not the correct indicator for all of Ghaziabad,” said VK Mittal, president of Kaushambi apartments residents’ welfare association.

Environmentalists, meanwhile, said that the huge volume of traffic adds to the noise pollution in the city and the bursting of crackers further increased the levels.

“The bursting of crackers continued well past midnight this Diwali in city areas. This despite the fact that the administration issued no licences for the retail sale of crackers. The monitoring of noise pollution should be carried out across major localities of the city. Otherwise, the correct picture will not be revealed and the exercise is reduced to mere formality,” said Akash Vashishtha, a city-based environmentalist and a lawyer.

Administration officials reiterated that no cracker licences were issued this year.

“It is possible that residents got their hands on crackers from outside the district,” said Vipin Kumar, additional district magistrate (city).