J. Environ. Res. Develop.

Journal of Environmental Research And Development Vol. 9 No. 04, April-June 2015

NOISE POLLUTION ANALYSIS IN DIFFERENT MEGA

CITIES OF INDIA DURING DEEPAWALI FESTIVAL
Anuj Kumar*, Rajeev Kumar Mishra and Amrit Kumar
Delhi Technological University, Delhi (INDIA)

Received January 25, 2015 Accepted June 03, 2015

ABSTRACT
Noise pollution is recognized as one of the major fear that affects the quality of life in urban
areas across the globe. In India Deepawali is the biggest and the brightest festival among all the
Hindu Festivals. Crackers of varied colors and sounds fill the skies during this festival. The
study of the characterization of crackers used during Deepawali festival is undertaken to specify
maximum sound pressure levels. It is observed that the sound pressure level produced by Indian
crackers is higher than the permissible limits prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB). The objective of this study is to focus the influence of fireworks on the noise increment
in India during Deepawali of years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 showing the regular
increment in the sound pressure levels. This study may help to disseminate awareness about
noise pollution among the people, by which they will be able to take required precautionary
measures to save themselves from the adverse effects of noise pollution and to improve the
quality of the environment.
Key Word : Noise pollution, Deepawali festival, Mega cities, Sound pressure, Public health

INTRODUCTION also faces more problems due to noise

Noise pollution is the excessive noise that may
harm the activity or balance of human or
animal life. Because of the rapid increase in
industrialization, urbanization and other com-
munication and transport systems, noise
pollution has reached to a disturbing level over
the years1.Noise is also being caused by
different types of crackers used in festivals and
marriages in India.
The crackers produce a lot of noise pollution
much higher than the permissible limits
prescribed by the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB). Noise standards for fire-
crackers dated 16th October, 2006 states that
the manufacture, sale or use of firecrackers
generating noise level exceeding 125 dB(A) or
145 dB(C) at 4 meters distance from the point
of bursting shall be prohibited2.
From the previous studies it has been proved
that noise may damage the human hearing
efficiency and neuron cells of brain of human
body3. Other effects due to noise are constant
stress, fatigue and hypertension, sleeping
disorders, cardiovascular disease. Wildlife
*Author for correspondence
1075
pollution as compared to humans since they
are more sensitive to sound. The noise data of
Deepawali days and normal days are
compared and observed a quite big difference
in noise levels. In comparing the noise data of
the last six years, the average noise level in
Delhi during Deepawali festival was found to
be 70 dB(A), while on normal days, it was
only 61.85 dB(A). Comparing the noise
values of Mumbai it was found much more
than that of Delhi, and the values were 79
dB(A) on Deepawali nights while on normal
days it was found to be 71 dB(A).While
taking the values of another mega city
Kolkata the noise values were found to be 78
dB(A) on Deepawali nights and on normal
days it was calculated 69 dB(A). The study is
an effort comparative to show the variations
of noise levels for Deepawali days and
normal days in various mega cities, so that
people become aware about the noise
pollution they are creating.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To analyze the contribution of fireworks
towards noise increment in the mega cities of
India during Deepawali festival.

Journal of Environmental Research And Development
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The Central Pollution Control Board has
conducted ambient noise monitoring at various
locations in Delhi on normal days and on the
occasion of Deepawali festival and state
pollution control boards of Maharashtra and
West Bengal did the same for their states.
To see the impact of bursting of crackers on
the Environment, the study here compares the
increasing noise levels due to bursting of
crackers in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata on
Deepawali nights and on normal days of years
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 with the
normal days noise level values.Delhi covering
a land area of about 1,484 km2consists of about
J. Environ. Res. Develop.
Vol. 9 No. 04, April-June 2015
16.3 million population. Stations selected for
monitoring of noise levels in Delhi are
Connaught place, CPCB, Delhi college of
Engineering, Dilshad Garden and ITO as in
Fig.1.
Mumbai covers a land area of about 603 km2
with 18.4 million populations. The monitoring
stations selected for noise levels are Borivali
National Park, Goregaon, Ghatkopar, Navi
Mumbai and Centacruz Airport as depicted in the
Fig. 2. Kolkata covers a land area of about 185
km2 with 14.1 million populations. The stations
selected for monitoring of noise levels in Kolkata
are salt lake, Newalipur, Bosepukur,
Kankurgachi and Banguihat (Fig. 3).

Delhi

Fig. 1 : Monitoring stations in Delhi, India

Mumbai Kolkata

Fig. 2 : Monitoring stations in Mumbai, India Fig. 3 : Monitoring stations in Kolkata, India

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Journal of Environmental Research And Development
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Noise scenario in Delhi, India
All the crackers produce an impulsive noise
having high peak sound pressure level of short
duration. The characteristics of such noise
are mainly peak pressure, pulse duration,
time duration etc. The results obtained of
increased noise levels 4 due to crackers
on Deepawali festival from 2008 to 2013 for
J. Environ. Res. Develop.
Vol. 9 No. 04, April-June 2015
Delhi is summarized in Fig. 4. The Ambient
noise level data monitoring atfivelocations in
Delhi on normal days from 2008 to 2013 is
summarized in Fig. 5.
Analyzing the noise data of Deepawali days
and normal days in Delhi we find that the
noise levels at CPCB was increased the most
on Deepawali festival. After the CPCB area
Dilshad Garden shows the second most
increment.

90
80
70
Noise level dB(A)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Years
Connaught Place (C) CPCB DCE Dilshad Garden (C) ITO (C)

Fig. 4 : Annual variation of noise level during Deepawali festival in Delhi, India

80

70

60
Noise level dB(A)

50

40

30

20

10

0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Years
Connaught Place (C) CPCB DCE Dilshad Garden (C) ITO (C)

Fig. 5 : Annual variation of noise level during normal days in Delhi, India

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Journal of Environmental Research And Development
While the noise levels at Delhi College of
Engineering does not show much variation
between normal days and Deepawali days. The
average noise level in Delhi during the
Deepawali festival from 2008 to 2013 was found
to be 70 dB(A), while on normal days, it was
only 61.85 dB(A).
Case study of Mumbai, India
Taking the noise data of the last six years of
Mumbai city5,6 on Deepawali and comparing
them with the normal day noise data, we find
that the noise produced by crackers on
Deepawali is much higher than that of
normal day noise data. Results of Deepawali
J. Environ. Res. Develop.
Vol. 9 No. 04, April-June 2015
noise levels from 2008 to 2013 in Mumbai
are summarized in Fig. 6. And the normal
day noise data of Mumbai at various
locations from 2008 to 2013 is summarized
in Fig. 7.
Among all the three mega cities Mumbai shows
the largest increment rate in noise level on
Deepawali festival.7-10 In last past years noise
levels of Mumbai East and Mumbai South shows
the largest increments on Deepawali festival
when compared to normal days. While Mumbai
West shows the least increment with even the
noise levels larger on a normal day than on the
Deepawali days in some years like 2011.11-15

120
Noise level dB(A)

100
80
60
40
20
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Years
Mumbai south Mumbai East Mumbai West
Navi Mumbai Central Mumbai

Fig. 6 : Annual variation of noise level during Deepawali festival in Mumbai, India

80
70
60
Noise level dB(A)

50
40
30
20
10
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Years
Mumbai south Mumbai East Mumbai West Navi Mumbai Central Mumbai

Fig. 7 : Annual variation of noise level during normal days in Mumbai, India

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Journal of Environmental Research And Development
Case study of Kolkata, India
Kolkata with 14.1 million of the population
also shows a huge difference in noise levels
during Deepawali and on normal days6.
Results of Deepawali noise levels from 2008 to
2013 in Kolkata at different locations are
summarized in Fig. 8. And the normal day
noise data of Kolkata from 2008 to 2013 is
summarized in Fig. 9.
The Bengalis, Oriyas and Assamese adore the
goddess Kali on Deepawali when the rest of
J. Environ. Res. Develop.
Vol. 9 No. 04, April-June 2015
India worships goddess Lakshmi on this day.
And on comparing the noise values of the
Deepawali festival at different places in
Kolkata it was found that the noise levels in
2008 at a place named New Alipur was
highest with 95 dB(A).And the least noise
value of 59 dB(A) was found in salt lake in
2012. And the average values from 2008 to
2013 of Kolkata were found to be 78 dB(A)
on Deepawali nights and on normal days it
was 69 dB(A).

100
Noise level dB(A)

80

60

40

20

0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Years

salt lake New Alipur Bosepukur Kankurgachi Banguihati

Fig. 8 : Annual variation of noise level during Deepawali festival in Kolkata, India

120
100
Noise level dB(A)

80
60
40
20
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Years

salt lake New Alipur Bosepukur Kankurgachi Banguihati

Fig. 9 : Annual variation of noise level during normal days in Kolkata, India
Analyzing the above figures, it is clear that prescribed by the Central Pollution Control
there is a large increment in the noise levels Board (CPCB). The Ambient Noise
on Deepawali festival as compared to the Standards prescribed by the Central
normal days values in all the three mega Pollution Control Board (CPCB) are given in
cities. And the values are above the limits as the Table 1.
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Journal of Environmental Research And Development
Table 1 : Ambient Noise Standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board
Limits in dB(A)
Category of Area / Zone
Day Time (Leq)
Industrial area
Commercial area
Residential area
Silence zone
Source: CPCB
The time has come when an individual should
become aware about the noise pollution they are
crea ting on Deepawali festival so that they can
take precautions to save themselves and the
Environment from the adverse effects of noise
pollution and choose Environmental Quality as
the priority.
CONCLUSION
The study compares the noise levels during
Deepawali days and normal days of three Mega
cities of India namely Delhi, Mumbai and
Kolkata. All the three cities show a remarkable
difference in the results showing large increment
in noise levels during Deepawali festival. And
the average noise level increment of all the three
mega cities is found to be about 8 dB(A) on
Deepawali festival.
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J. Environ. Res. Develop.
Vol. 9 No. 04, April-June 2015
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