Thane: Deafening firecrackers, smoke in the air and cracker litter was a common sight across the city on Wednesday and Thursday. Even though activists and the media had stressed on curbing the extensive use of firecrackers, residents seem to have ignored this and kept bursting crackers on Lakshmi Puja and padva days.
Even though most residents had refrained from bursting crackers on the first day of Diwali, the second and third day saw decibel levels rise to 130.
Citizen activist Dr Mahesh Bedekar said, "Immediately after the puja, there were contiously crackers being burst across the city. When I checked the sound meter at Ram Maruti Road, Talao Pali, Gokhale Road, Hiranandani Estate and Meadows, the noise levels had touched 130dB."
The noise levels was the highest on Lakshmi puja day. ''On the first day, there were hardly fireworks in the city. The normal noise levels range between 60db and 70db. But this soared to 130db,'' he added.
Though many ignored the air pollution levels and kept bursting crackers, there were a few children who took an initiative to stop their friends from bursting them.
Dhanvi Patil (10), a resident of Patlipada, said, "Bursting crackers creates a lot of noise. So this year, I asked my parents not to buy crackers and also requested my friends not to burst them. So our group of friends refrained from bursting crackers and tried to inform many others to do the same."
Dr Bedekar said, "The noise levels can be curtailed if the cracker manufactures manufacture it that way. If this is done, then the we can be assured of a noise and pollution free Diwali.''
