Playing music this puja may land you in jail

Kolkata, Sep 7 (UNI) Come Pujas and the West Bengal Pollution Control Board will to ensure a 'toned down' festivity.

In a press meet today Board's Chairman Sudeep Banerjee said they had imposed some restrictions on the use of loud speakers and noisy crackers at the pandals this Durga Puja.

He said according to the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, they have divided the city into four zones--industrial, commercial, residential and silence--where the maximum sound limit allowed would be 70, 55, 45, 40 decibles in the evening hours. They have categorically restricted the use of loudspeakers from 10 PM to 6 AM.

They had further prohibited the use and sale of crackers that generate noise of more than 90 decible and mandated the use of sound limiters in the public address systems.

''Any one violating the law would face dire consequences,'' Mr Banerjee warned.

''We have forwarded guidelines to the municipalities to monitor this and have asked the puja committees to immerse the idols only at the earmarked areas,'' Mr Banerjee said stressing that immersion of idols cause severe water pollution.

This time the devotees might come across the banners on the pandals reading 'throw away plastics'.

The chairman said the people had been requested not to carry plastics while visiting the ecologically sensitive hilly areas of the state, thus checking the use of these non-biodegradable substances that are posing greatest threat to the environment today.

The Board, with the help of Kolkata police, would set up control rooms with toll free number 1800 345 3390 and take immediate action if the laws are violated, he stated.

''This time we have also restricted the ''Dhakis''(drum beaters), who play the traditional 'dhak', on the all the five days during the Puja creating cacophony,'' Mr Banerjee said.

Asked about air pollution caused during the Puja due to the huge number of vehicles plying in the city, he shifted the responsibility to the state transport department.

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