Vijayawada: Air and sound pollution during the festival of lights – Diwali – increased across all major cities of AP on Monday. The level of these two pollutants had been slightly higher compared to Diwali 2021.
As per AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB), noise pollution on 2022 Diwali day in the state due to bursting of crackers had been up 12 percent compared to a normal day during a week before the festival.
The PCB had observed noise pollution on real-time basis at 25 locations across the state. It increased by 7.50 percent at Bapuji Kalamandir in Srikakulam, 24 percent in Vizianagaram, and 8 percent in Visakhapatnam.
Noise pollution in Kakinada had increased by 16 per cent and in Rajahmundry by 46.65 percent which is almost double. In Eluru also, it had been 40 percent. At five different locations in Vijayawada, the average noise pollution had been 9 percent. It had been minimal in Guntur by just 3 percent. It had been 28 percent at Ongole, 8 percent at Nellore, 26 percent at Tirupati, 16 percent at Kurnool and 10 percent at Anantapur.
Interestingly, in Tirumala and Kadapa, noise pollution on the festival day had been less than that on a normal day.
Air quality index (microgram per metre cube) is good if between 0–50, satisfactory if between 51–100, moderate between 101–200, poor between 201–300, very poor between 300–400 and severe if between 401–500. Presently, there are four air quality monitoring stations across Andhra Pradesh, one each at Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, Rajahmundry and Tirumala.
Air quality observed during bursting of crackers had been slightly more than the moderate level.
APPCB senior environmental scientist B.V. Prasad said air quality observed at the four stations in state had been more only during the evening of Diwali. This indicated that compared to previous years, people burst crackers only during the prescribed time mentioned by the government. He observed that people could also have used green crackers, thereby causing less air pollution.
Noted Dr. Mohan Prasad said sound pollution has a great impact on certain age groups of people and those suffering from heart issues. He underlined that toddlers, senior citizens, and weaker people cannot take big sounds emanated by bursting of crackers. Heart patients feel very incontinent with sounds from cracker bursting. Hence, everyone should celebrate Diwali in the traditional manner, with sweets, oil lamps and green crackers.
