Kolkata faced widespread violations of firecracker noise and timing rules during Diwali and Kali Puja, with residents reporting blasts before the permitted 8pm-10pm window and continuing late into the night. Kolkata Police said 68 people had been arrested by 8.30pm, while around 50kg of banned fireworks was seized.
The law permits only green firecrackers between 8pm and 10pm on Diwali. The permissible noise limit for legal firecrackers is 125 decibels at a distance of four metres from the source. Residents across Kasba, Gariahat, Shyambazar, Salt Lake, Behala, Narendrapur and other parts of the city told The Telegraph that crackers were being burst intermittently from the afternoon and intensified during the evening.
At Bosepukur in Kasba, a group reportedly lit rockets with sparklers around 6.30pm. Deafening bursts followed near Kasba Law College, with some crackers allegedly thrown on the pavement. Flower pots were also being lit under the Gariahat flyover around 7pm, while shells and rockets continued in adjoining areas.
The reported violations had a direct impact on residents and animals. A Parnasree resident said she had to use headphones to protect her baby daughter’s ears. Pet owners said animals hid under tables and refused food. A Narendrapur resident counted 26 cracker blasts in five minutes from 8.30pm. Residents in Salt Lake and Maniktala reported that the noise continued after 10.30pm and intensified later in the night.
The situation was particularly acute near the BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences in Phoolbagan. A team from environmental group Sabuj Mancha said noise levels frequently crossed 100 decibels in the area, against the national night-time limit of 40 decibels for silence zones. Naba Datta, the group’s general secretary, said the team lodged a police complaint after hearing crackers around the hospital.
Sabuj Mancha had received around 15 complaints by 7.30pm, Datta said. By 9.30pm, Kolkata Police had received 21 complaints related to crackers and three concerning loudspeakers, according to a senior police officer. The officer said 11 people were arrested for bursting crackers and 57 for disorderly conduct.
The celebrations also brought large crowds to religious sites and strong demand for festive goods. A long queue of devotees extended towards the sanctum sanctorum at Kalighat temple around 8pm, while shops reported brisk sales of traditional sweets, assorted trays and customised hampers. The police response and enforcement action were continuing as firecracker violations were reported across the city through the night.
