Sound muffler order ignored, brace for a noisy Kali Puja

KOLKATA: Puja committees can blow up lakhs on pandals, but they are loath to spend just Rs 1,200 to reduce noise pollution. Even a government directive making sound mufflers mandatory has had no effect on puja committees.
Kolkatans should brace for noisy Diwali, and not just because of the firecrackers. Just 10 sound-limiters have been sold for Kali Puja."And during Durga Puja, we sold only 14 sound-limiters," said an official of Webel Mediatronics, which is selling the gadgets in consultation with Pollution Control Board.
Sound mufflers can bring down microphone noise to 65 decibels, the PCB-stipulated limit. Approximately 17 more sound-limiters are ready to be bought by Kali Puja pandals but it''s still far from adequate, say officials.
It was on August 27 this year that the WBPCB asked the home (police) department, local police stations and district magistrates to circulate the sound-limiter order and give permission for use of microphones/loudspeakers only to the organisers adhering to the directive. "We regularly receive complaints of noise pollution and the order had been being issued in the interest of people as loud noise affects general health and wellbeing," said WBPCB membersecretary S.K. Sarkar.
The sound-limiter is a cheap and effective way of controlling the noise from microphones, he said. However, according to the Webel Mediatronics official, lack of awareness about the order has hindered its sales. Sarkar agreed. Public notices would be issued about the directive and NGOs asked to help raise awareness.
Sarkar warned that stern action would be taken against puja committees that violate the decibel-limit.