Kolkata: Rampant bursting of banned fireworks was reported from all over the city on Monday, with maximum reports pouring in late in the evening. Bhowanipore, Ballygunge, Hazra, New Alipore, Burrabazar, Posta, Jorasanko, Jorabagan, Ultadanga, and Salt Lake remained the city’s firecracker hotspots.
Since it was an unscheduled event with least expectations of any revelry of this scale, watchdog agencies like WBPCB did not have any special monitoring against the banned fireworks revelry.
According to the Supreme Court order, in the city and rest of the country bursting of only green fireworks is allowed during the specific window of hours on specific days. It is allowed from 8pm to 10pm during Diwali and half an hour during New Year’s night. On any other occasion, bursting of firecrackers requires special permission from the police and the pollution control board.
“People were encouraged to burst firecrackers. It is bad for the overall noise level of the city and particularly bad for air quality. Bursting firecrackers releases poisonous gas and a huge quantity of finer particulate matter in the air, leaving the air unbreathable,” said environmental activist Subhas Datta.
“I am not against any religious celebration. But it must be a responsible one without harming the environment,” said Naba Dutta, general secretary, Sabuj Mancha.
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