Joyful Festivals, Not Noise and Smoke in Kolkata and West Bengal (AN ONLINE MASS PETITION)

Posted on 20th September, 2025 (GMT 04:02 hrs)

ABSTRACT

Kolkata, once the “City of Joy,” now faces climate fragility from rising seas, cyclones, and severe pollution. Festivals throughout the year amplify this crisis with high-decibel firecrackers, DJ systems, dazzling lights, and toxic idol immersions, worsening air, noise, and water quality. Despite strong laws and repeated court orders, lax enforcement and state subsidies for festival committees deepen unsustainable practices. The toll is stark—over 18,000 premature deaths annually from air pollution, alongside cardiovascular, respiratory, and mental health harms. This Fridays For Future (FFF) India petition calls for urgent enforcement of pollution laws, ending arbitrary state funding, ensuring just transition for firecracker workers, and promoting sustainable, culturally rooted celebrations that protect citizens, animals, and ecosystems.

About This Petition

This document is the backbone explanatory text supporting our Fridays for Future (FFF) petition to curb sound and air pollution in Kolkata and the rest of West Bengal. It provides the ecological, legal, health, and cultural context behind our collective demand for sustainable festivals and accountable governance.

 Add your voice. Sign here: Fridays For Future, India on Action Network VIEW HERE ⤡

Published by Fridays For Future (FFF), India on Action Network, this petition calls upon the Government of West Bengal, the Pollution Control Board, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to enforce the law, protect public health, and preserve Kolkata’s fragile climate future.

Introduction

Kolkata delta, once hailed as the “City of Joy,” stands at a precarious crossroads. Just 130 km from the Bay of Bengal and only 9 meters above sea level (average), the city, an immature delta towards the south, faces rising sea levels, frequent cyclones, erratic rainfall, heat waves, and increasing seismic activity. Its East Kolkata Wetlands, a Ramsar-protected site, is under threat from urban sprawl and industrial encroachment, highlighting the city’s growing vulnerability to climate and ecological crises. The Sundarbans mangrove forests, once Kolkata’s natural shield against extreme weather, are now falling prey to massive erosion—weakening their ability to protect the city.

Amidst these challenges, Kolkata’s air and noise pollution levels have reached alarming heights, particularly during festivals and public gatherings. The unchecked use of high-decibel sound systems, firecrackers, and amplifiers not only disrupt daily life but also exacerbate the city’s environmental and public health crises. This dual assault on the senses—through deafening noise and choking smoke—compounds the vulnerabilities of a city already grappling with climate-induced stresses.

Festivals Across the Year

Whether during Saraswati Puja, Muharram processions, Ram Navami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Diwali, Jagaddhatri Puja, Kartika Puja, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or political rallies in general, the same pattern repeats: blaring loudspeakers, bass-heavy DJ boxes, and firecrackers that push sound levels far beyond permissible limits.

For example, during Diwali in Kolkata, decibel levels often exceed 120–130 dB, when the legal limit for residential areas is only 55 dB by day and 45 dB by night, and for industrial areas 75 dB by day and 70 dB by night, as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Notably, under the current debt-ridden West Bengal government, Durga Puja celebrations now officially begin from Mahalaya—the day marking the invocation of the goddess—rather than from Panchami/Shasthi (the fifth or sixth day of the lunar calendar traditionally associated with the main festivities). This effectively extends the festival period, increasing the duration of noise and air pollution for residents and animals alike. 

During major festivals like Durga Puja, dazzling lights disrupt bird and street-animal habitats and waste fossil fuels. Peak power demand in Kolkata’s CESC area has risen sharply, with Puja pandal electricity usage jumping 22% in one year and 542% over 14 years. To support the celebrations in 2025, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed CESC and the state electricity board to provide an 80% subsidy on power bills for Puja pandals!

The Legal and Public Health Emergency

Noise and air pollution are not mere inconveniences but recognized public health crises. Laws such as the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 prohibit noise and emissions beyond prescribed limits.

Several scientific studies link such exposure to cardiovascular disease, impaired learning in children, sleep disorders, and mental health deterioration. For animals and ecosystems, the impacts are devastating and often irreversible.

Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) sets the safe 24-hour limit for PM2.5 at 15 µg/m³. Yet Kolkata consistently exceeds this limit throughout the year. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s annual average PM2.5 concentration is ~60–65 µg/m³—over four times the safe limit. The Lancet Planetary Health Report (2020) attributed over 18,000 premature deaths annually in Kolkata to air pollution. Even without festivals, winter AQI levels often remain in the 150–200 range (‘Unhealthy’), exposing residents to chronic respiratory and cardiovascular risks. These statistics are often shown in delimited conservative values due to data paucity, data opacity and data denial in India.

Despite repeated Calcutta High Court orders restricting firecrackers and loudspeakers during Diwali and Kali Puja, enforcement remains lax, exposing systemic governance failure.

Key Sources of Festival Pollution

• Firecrackers: Double Pollution

• Noise: Extreme decibel counts risk permanent hearing damage, terrify street dogs, cats, and birds, and disrupt ecosystems.
• Air: Firecrackers release toxic smoke, heavy metals, and particulate matter, worsening Kolkata’s already critical air quality as mentioned above.

Although the Supreme Court of India (2018 judgment) restricted conventional fireworks and mandated so-called “green crackers,” enforcement is weak. Hospitals consistently report spikes in respiratory illness, heart conditions, and anxiety during festival nights.

• DJ Boxes and Technology
The rise of large DJ sound systems has turned neighbourhoods into open-air clubs. Their low-frequency vibrations are not just a human health hazard—causing stress, hearing damage, and sleep disorders—but also disturb animals and biodiversity. Dogs and cats experience acute trauma, migratory birds alter their flight paths, and micro-flora and fauna are destabilized by what is dismissed as “celebration.” 

Durga Puja, now recognized as a heritage festival, originally followed the Barowari tradition —community-organized, devotional celebrations rooted in local neighbourhoods, emphasizing collective participation rather than commercial spectacle. The contemporary practice of using loudspeakers, DJ boxes, and high-decibel amplification distorts the festival’s heritage, harms public health, and exacerbates air and noise pollution. Heritage recognition demands that celebrations honour their original ethos, not violate it.

• Idol Immersion and Water Pollution in Kolkata: An Addendum to Sound and Air Pollution
The ritual immersion of idols of Durga, Kali, Jagaddhatri, Bishwakarma, Saraswati, and others in the Hooghly River after festivals further degrades an already polluted waterway. Many idols are crafted from Plaster of Paris (PoP), clay, and plastic, and decorated with paints containing toxic heavy metals like lead, chromium, and cadmium. Once immersed, these materials leach into the river, increasing turbidity and total dissolved solids (TDS), and disrupting aquatic life. The Hooghly—a distributary of the Ganga—already suffers from untreated sewage and industrial effluents, and idol immersion adds a seasonal spike in pollution that poses severe risks to human and ecological health. While regulatory measures such as banning PoP and setting up designated ponds for “green immersions” have been introduced, compliance remains weak, and large-scale river immersions continue to threaten the fragile ecosystem.

Seasonal and Climate Context: A Perfect Storm

The festival season (September–November) coincides with a sharp deterioration in Kolkata’s air quality. After Durga Puja and as winter sets in, PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations spike, often pushing the AQI from the already unhealthy 150–200 range to 250+. For instance, on 8 October 2023, Kolkata recorded an AQI of 249, with PM2.5 at 104.65 µg/m³ and PM10 at 188.58 µg/m³ (SwitchON Foundation). Hospitals report 20–30% increases in emergency respiratory cases during such periods compared to non-festival winter days.

This is especially alarming because the Kolkata delta is already a climate-vulnerable zone—facing rising sea levels, frequent cyclones, heat stress, and flooding risks. When noise and air pollution spike during festivals, they compound this ecological fragility, pushing both public health and urban resilience to the breaking point.

Our Demands

We call upon the West Bengal Government, West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), the National Green Tribunal, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India to:

1. Reduce the use of all high-decibel firecrackers, DJ boxes, and sound-amplifying technologies that exceed safe noise limits.
2. Enforce noise and air pollution laws year-round, with strict vigilance during festivals and public gatherings.
3. Halt arbitrary government funding to neighbourhood clubs ahead of Durga Puja, which drives excessive noise, environmental harm, and public health risks.
4. Rehabilitate firecracker workers through skill training, alternative livelihoods in small-scale industries, and financial support, funded by redirecting government budgets (based on taxpayers’ money) currently allocated to neighbourhood clubs. Strictly eliminate child labour in line with Article 24 and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, ensuring children access education and families receive safe, alternative income, enabling a just and environmentally sustainable transition.
5. Establish community-based monitoring and grievance systems with WBPCB mandated to respond within 24 hours.
6. Promote sustainable, culturally rooted festivals that strengthen social cohesion while protecting public health and the environment.

Our Vision

Festivals should celebrate life, not destroy it. The Kolkata delta along with adjacent areas in the state of West Bengal is already on the frontlines of the climate crisis—any additional burden of unchecked noise and air pollution is reckless and unjust. Local “para” (neighbourhood) culture, which traditionally fostered community cohesion and small-scale celebrations, is increasingly being replaced by state- and corporate-funded festival culture that prioritizes spectacle over well-being. Festivals should not be used to hide or distract from real ecological, economic, or social issues of the day. The law is clear—what is lacking is enforcement and systemic change.

We demand urgent action to protect the health of citizens, animals, and ecosystems from this escalating crisis.

Add your voice. Sign the petition to curb sound and air pollution in Kolkata. Let Kolkata set a precedent for cities, villages, and regions across West Bengal and India!

References

1. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an 80% concession on electricity charges for Durga Puja pandals, alongside a grant of ₹1.10 lakh per committee. Available at: https://thecsrjournal.in/mamata-banerjee-increase-durga-puja-grant-1-lakh-concession-electricity-charges
2. The Durga Puja grant was increased from ₹85,000 to ₹1.10 lakh per committee, with waivers on state government fees, including fire licenses and civic taxes. Available at: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/mamata-banerjee-grant-durga-puja-committees-10162189
3. In addition to the 80% electricity concession, the state government waived all state government fees for Durga Puja committees. Available at: https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jul/31/mamata-raises-durga-puja-grant-to-rs-110-lakh-bjp-alleges-move-to-woo-clubs-ahead-of-polls
4. The immersion of idols, often made from Plaster of Paris and decorated with toxic paints, contributes to significant water pollution in the Hooghly River. Available at: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/wash-and-melt-idol-immersion-in-bengal-turns-a-green-leaf-73993
5. Studies indicate that idol immersions lead to the release of heavy metals and pollutants into water bodies, adversely affecting aquatic life. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0019452221002235
6. The National Green Tribunal directed that all city ghats in Kolkata be declared plastic-free zones, with renovation and beautification efforts underway. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/kolkata-ghats-to-be-no-plastic-zone/articleshow/123981348.cms
7. During festivals like Diwali, noise levels in Kolkata often exceed permissible limits, causing health hazards and disturbing wildlife. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Puja_in_Kolkata
8. Kolkata’s air quality deteriorates during festivals, with PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations spiking, leading to health risks for residents. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Puja_in_Kolkata
9. Despite legal provisions, enforcement of noise and air pollution regulations during festivals remains weak, leading to continued violations. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Puja_in_Kolkata
10. Establishing community-based monitoring and grievance systems can enhance enforcement and accountability in pollution control. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Puja_in_Kolkata