Ambient air quality and noise levels: Deepawali festival monitoring report 2015
Noise and air pollution are hazards to the ambient environment and a cause of concern due to bursting of fire crackers during Deepawali. It is, therefore, necessary to conduct ambient noise and air quality monitoring during this festival to understand the level of pollution and correlate with the effectiveness of different abatement programs. Like every year, Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees carried out extensive ambient noise and air quality monitoring across the country during Deepawali festival on November 11, 2015. This report is a compilation of ambient noise (248 locations) and ambient air quality (103 locations) data covering 22 states/UTs in the country and incorporates comparison with data of previous year. In general, as compared to last year there was decrease in Noise level at 44 locations in 2015, while increased Noise level was observed at most of other locations. Also, as compared to last year, NO2, SO2 and PM10 levels were lesser in concentration at 27, 28 and 27 locations, respectively. So despite, mass awareness programs being taken up by respective SPCBs/PCCs, there was increase in the levels of pollution in the country during Deepawali days in 2015.