Immersion-day noise levels dropped by 6 decibels on Laxmi Road: CoEP study

“We recorded an average of 94.8 dB this year as compared to 101.2 dB last year,” Dr Mahesh Shindikar, head of Applied Sciences and Humanities at CoEP Technological University told The Indian Express. One of the major reasons for the drop in levels on Laxmi Road was the police diverting some Ganesh mandals playing DJ music onto nearby roads on Tuesday night,” he said.

Dr Shindikar has been leading a team of students for over two decades now to conduct sound monitoring exercises at ten locations along Laxmi Road. This year too, the team systematically recorded noise levels every four hours beginning Tuesday noon (September 17) till Wednesday 12 noon (September 18).

As per the data, average noise levels recorded across all 10 locations– Belbaug Chowk, Ganpati Chowk, Limbaraj Chowk, Kunte Chowk, Umbrya Chowk, Gokhale Chowk, Holkar Chowk, Tilak Chowk and Khandojibaba Chowk was between 90 and 99 decibels. However, at 8 am when the mandals played DJ music, the average level reported was 106.7 decibels. The lowest level of 50.1 decibels recorded by the CoEP team was at 4 am on September 18 at Khandojibaba chowk.

Highest level at Shanti Chowk

This Ganesh festival, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board had set up three-member teams with their sound level meters to monitor noise levels at 200 sites where prominent Ganesh mandals were located. “There has been a dip in noise levels at some places,” says Jagannath Salunkhe, Regional Officer, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Pune. There has been a slight dip in noise levels at some locations in Pune and Pimpri during the ten-day festival. However some areas have reported high levels. On the Ganesh immersion day, the highest noise level was reported at Mandai and Pimpri (Shanti Chowk) at 94.0 and 94.9 decibels each.

This annual exercise is undertaken by MPCB during the Ganesh festival across some areas in the city. However, this year the agency has been directed by the National Green Tribunal (Western Zone) to conduct real-time noise monitoring at multiple locations. The NGT has also instructed on limiting the capacity of loudspeakers at mandals.

Pune-based audiologist Dr Kalyani Mandke had sought directions to implement effective noise control measures, particularly concerning the use of loudspeakers and public address systems.

MPCB recorded levels at Shivajinagar, Satara Road, Mandai, Sarasbaug, Hadapsar, M G Road, University Road Chowk, Vishrantwadi, Chaphekar Chowk (Chinchwad), Pimpri and Bhosari.

There has been a drop by two to three decibels in most of these places as compared to last year. For instance, at Sarasbaug last year, the decibel level on the day of immersion (September 28, 2023) was 91.2 dB. This year it was 88.9dB, Salunkhe said.