Pollution levels ‘significantly better’ than last year: City police chief
The Statesman | 23 October 2025From Dum Dum to New Town, Jadavpur to Park Street, and Bidhannagar, loud crackers dominated the skyline, leaving residents — especially children, the elderly and the ailing — in a state of distress.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma at a Press meet today asserted that the city’s overall condition during this year’s Diwali was “significantly better” compared to the previous year. He also claimed that pollution levels in Kolkata were lower than those recorded in other major Indian cities on Diwali night.
“Noise levels have remained below 90 decibels, which is within the permissible limit of 125 decibels,” the commissioner told reporters on Tuesday morning. “We had been monitoring air pollution levels till 6 p.m. on Monday, and even at that time, Kolkata’s air quality was better than that of other big cities in India. The reports from 10 p.m. and midnight will make the overall picture clearer,” he added. According to Verma, both noise and air pollution levels were lower this year compared to last Diwali. Yet, environmental readings and on-ground experiences presented a very different story. Data collected by the Pollution Control Board around midnight painted a grim picture. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in areas like Ballygunge and Bidhannagar had crossed the 400-mark, entering the “severe” category — even surpassing pollution levels recorded in Delhi at the same time.
Despite a strict ban on anything other than “green” crackers and a two-hour window from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m, fireworks continued till the early hours of Tuesday. In several areas, crackers were burst on roads, rooftops, and even from moving vehicles. There were reports from the suburbs of people targeting passing trains with firecrackers, creating panic among passengers and pedestrians. Authorities received a flood of complaints. The Pollution Control Board recorded at least 41 official complaints by midnight, primarily from Kasba, New Alipore, Salt Lake, Sealdah, Jodhpur Park, Bhawanipore, and Ballygunge.
Kolkata Police sources said they received more than a hundred complaints related to noise violations across different police stations till late at night.
Enforcement efforts, however, were intense. Police arrested 183 people for bursting illegal firecrackers and another 451 for disorderly conduct. Six individuals were caught gambling during the festivities. In total, 640 people were arrested from different parts of the city for various offences related to the celebrations. The police also seized 852.45 kilogrammes of banned fireworks and 68.4 litres of liquor on Monday night.
Kolkata Traffic Police booked 882 offenders for a range of violations, including rash driving, not wearing helmets, bursting crackers while riding, and general disorderly conduct. Ninety-nine motorists were prosecuted for drunk driving, while 156 others were fined for other traffic-related violations. While the commissioner maintained that the city’s performance was “comparatively better,” many residents and environmentalists disagreed, citing sleepless nights, choking air, and incessant explosions that lasted well past 2 a.m.
“If this is better, one wonders what worse would look like,” remarked a resident of Lake Gardens, summing up the frustration of many Kolkatans still struggling to breathe easy after yet another noisy and polluted Diwali.
