Pollution Control Board gave wrong data on Thrissur Pooram

THRISSUR: Anti-fireworks campaigners and researchers have protested Pollution Control Board allegedly presenting incorrect data during a hearing by Union government and Petroleum and Explosives Safety (PESO) officials at the Collectorate here on Monday. While the PCB officials said the decibels during Thrissur Pooram had not ‘measured’ beyond 125 units, a 2016 IMA study showed 115 decibels inside a semi-sound proof ICU of the General Hospital, which is otherwise a quiet zone.

Activist V. K. Venkitachalam who protested after PCB’s environment engineer P. K. Baburaj repeated 125 units for a second time at the hearing, said the Explosive Rules 2008, warrants the decibel machine kept in a pit four metres away and if the sound exceeds 125, the firework is illegal. “Considering their safety the PCB officials have been standing more than 100 metres away for taking measurements and the PCB position was by overlooking the rules,” he told DC.

Psychologist Dr Renny Antony said his documentary The Intimate Killer had presented the data of the study conducted Dr Santhosh Babu of General Hospital and the patients in silent zones where the decibel levels should not go beyond 50 units would get adversely affected. “In such a scenario, if the decibel level in a semi-sound proof room suddenly touches 115 decibels during fireworks, it should have been presented before the panel,” he said.