Marginal dip in noise levels witnessed in Mumbai this Diwali: Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

Noise levels on the day of Diwali (November 14) had dip marginally in the Mumbai as compared to the decibel levels recorded in the previous years of Diwali, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has said. However, the pollution control body also stated that the noise levels remained above the permissible limits on the festival, even as five locations in the city witnessed ‘poor’ air.

MPCB released its Diwali noise and air monitoring report on Thursday.

On Diwali, the average noise levels in Mumbai ranged between 59 and 71 decibels (dB). South Mumbai recorded average (6am to 10pm), which was higher than the safe limit of 65 dB. during the day. During the same period last year, the noise levels in MMR were 70.6dB. The western suburbs recorded 70.7dB this year against last year’s 65.8dB, while the noise levels in the eastern suburbs were at 71.1 dB, as compared to 69.4dB in 2019.

At night (10pm to 6am), when the safe limit is 55dB, south Mumbai recorded 59dB on the day of Diwali. In 2019, during the same period, the noise level was 60.3dB at south Mumbai. Meanwhile, western suburbs recorded 59dB against the 62.3dB recorded in 2019. The eastern suburbs were the loudest at night, with the noise levels reaching 60.9dB, same as the decibel recorded last year.

“There were fewer fireworks in Mumbai this year as compared to the previous years. The citizens has cooperated very well by refraining from bursting crackers and that has helped in curbing the noise and air pollution this year,” said Sudhir Srivastava, chairman, MPCB.

The pollution control board had recorded noise levels across 10 locations in Mumbai before, during, and after Diwali. Noise levels before Diwali (recorded on November 11) during the day and night were 71.3 dB and 59.8 dB in south Mumbai, 70.3 dB and 58.7 dB in western suburbs, and 71.1 dB and 60.3 dB in eastern suburbs, all of which were marginally louder than last year.

Noise levels after Diwali (November 16) at day and night were 70.6 dB and 60.8 dB in south Mumbai, 72.5 dB and 64.1 dB in western suburbs, and 72.1 dB and 61.5 dB in eastern suburbs, all of which were louder (2-3 dB) as compared to last year.

“This showed that ambient noise levels are already much higher than the safe limits in Mumbai, with human-induced sources such as traffic and construction, contributing to the decibel levels. While it indicates that the city celebrated a milder environmentally polluting Diwali, it also opens up avenues for reducing overall ambient noise in Mumbai,” said Srivastava.

MPCB also monitored noise levels across 158 locations at all the 27 municipal corporations in the state before, during and after Diwali. Pimpri-Chinchwad recorded the highest noise pollution levels in Maharashtra on the day of Diwali at 77.1dB, followed by Akola at 76.9dB in the day. At night, Nashik was the loudest location on Diwali day at 71 dB, followed by Nagpur at 66.9dB.

Meanwhile, an air quality analysis on the second day of Diwali (November 15) has revealed that the city’s overall air quality index (AQI) was in the ‘moderate’ category, and seven of the 15 locations (Colaba, Kalyan, Kurla, Vasai, Vile Parle, Worli, and Nerul) in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region where the air quality index (AQI) was recorded on Saturday recorded poor AQI (201-300). Borivli and Powai had the cleanest air on Diwali with ‘satisfactory’ AQI (51-100). The other locations (international airport, Bandra, Kandivli, Sion and Mahape) recorded ‘moderate’ (101-200) AQI.

SC Kollur, chief scientist, MPCB, said, “Apart from the reduced use of firecrackers, a rise in the wind speed and increase in temperature helped keep the AQI in the moderate category throughout Diwali period.”

Day temperature drops in Mumbai, AQI continues to be in ‘moderate’ category

The maximum temperature in Mumbai fell below the normal mark on Thursday. It was 32.4 degrees Celsius, a degree Celsius below normal, at Colaba, and 33.3 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degree Celsius below normal, at Santacruz. The day temperature was 36 degrees Celsius on Tuesday at Santacruz and 34.7 degrees Celsius at Colaba. It fell marginally to 34.4 degrees Celsius at Santacruz and 33.8 degrees Celsius at Colaba on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the AQI was 132 (moderate) on Thursday and is expected to be 115 (moderate) on Friday.

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