Begusarai: As Diwali celebrations continue across Begusarai, local shops are selling both Indian and Chinese firecrackers, some reaching noise levels between 20 and 180 decibels. This surge in the use of high-decibel firecrackers has sparked concern as such items are not traditionally part of Sanatan culture and pose significant risks to both health and the environment. The deteriorating Air Quality Index (AQI) and noise pollution from these crackers worry experts, who report adverse impacts on human health and the natural ecosystem.
In response, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has issued regulations limiting noise from firecrackers to 125 dB (AI) or 145 dB (C) peak at a four-meter distance. Police have been tasked with ensuring compliance, but despite these measures, some vendors continue to sell high-decibel firecrackers. Environmental advocates stress that loud noise can lead to severe health issues, especially for vulnerable individuals, while the remnants of crackers, such as paper fragments and half-burnt gunpowder, increase accident risks for children and animals.
Reports show that some commonly sold firecrackers exceed safe noise limits: the Atom Bomb (Timing Bomb) reaches 135 decibels, Chinese crackers (strings of one thousand) reach 128 decibels, and the Flower Bomb reaches 136 decibels. Social worker and teacher Kaushal Kishore Kranti emphasises that Diwali traditionally celebrates prosperity and happiness without crackers, whose noise and toxins contribute to air, soil, and noise pollution.
Dr. Raman Kumar Jha highlights that firecrackers increase respiratory, skin, and lung-related health risks, in addition to impacting climate change. He advocates for limited use of crackers, citing harmful emissions that raise Earth’s temperature and disrupt natural weather cycles. Given these environmental and health dangers, a cautious approach to celebrating Diwali with fewer crackers is encouraged to safeguard the community and ecosystem.
