Kolkata, Nov 9: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday claimed that noise pollution was largely under control during this year's Kali Puja and Diwali celebrations, defending the bursting of green firecrackers as part of the festivities while blaming communist critics for what he described as their discomfort over the resurgence of Sanatan traditions in the state.
Adhikari said the administration had taken necessary measures to enforce the Supreme Court's guidelines on noise pollution, though he acknowledged that some firecrackers were burst beyond the permitted hours.
Police had taken action against those violating the restrictions, he said.
"Some green firecrackers might have been burst after 10 pm, but the police took action against those responsible. I feel the situation was largely under control," the chief minister told reporters in Digha in Purba Medinipur district.
Reacting to complaints of deafening firecracker noise across Kolkata and other parts of the state on Kali Puja night, Adhikari said, "The complaints are being raised by communists."
Questioning the criticism over the use of fireworks during the festival, he said, "People will celebrate Diwali and burst green crackers. Why should that be such a problem? Where is the harm?"
The chief minister alleged that sections of his political opponents were uncomfortable with what he described as the resurgence of Sanatan traditions in Bengal, accusing the Left of having reduced Hindu religious festivals to cultural events while distancing themselves from religious practices.
"Some people have a problem because of this resurgence of Sanatan traditions. Those raising complaints had turned Hindu festivals into cultural programmes and pushed religious scriptures aside. They do not wear a tilak, do not have the Bipattarini thread on their hands or tulsi beads around their necks," he said.
Adhikari's remarks came amid widespread complaints of noise pollution during the celebrations, despite restrictions imposed by the state government permitting only certified green firecrackers between 8 pm and 10 pm.
The chief minister also sought credit for the administration for keeping DJ music largely off the streets during the festivities.
"I did not hear any DJ music on the roadsides," he said, suggesting that the government's efforts to regulate celebrations deserved appreciation rather than criticism.
However, the ground situation in Kolkata presented a contrasting picture, with residents and environmental activists reporting the bursting of high-decibel firecrackers in several neighbourhoods, including residential areas and stretches near hospitals.
In an unusual intervention, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul took to the streets late on Sunday night after receiving multiple complaints about the noise.
Accompanied by police personnel, Paul toured several areas, including Rashbehari, Garia and Kasba in south Kolkata, as well as parts of north Kolkata, to assess the situation.
Acknowledging the severity of the complaints, she was quoted as saying, "I myself stay in South Kolkata and even after 10 PM, crackers were still bursting, and I had no way but to step out. I thank the police officials; we had to roam the streets, and now it's 2 am and the situation is under control. At 10 PM it was really tough to stay back (to stay at home)".
She also spoke to the senior police officials, seeking stringent action against those violating the restrictions.
Her late-night intervention came amid mounting complaints that the noise from illegal firecrackers had continued well beyond the stipulated hours.
BJP MLA and veteran actor Roopa Ganguly, too, expressed concern over the situation, tagging Kolkata Police in a social media post in the middle of the night and asking, "When will this noise stop? Please help." She subsequently deleted the post.
The complaints have raised questions over the enforcement of restrictions and how prohibited high-decibel firecrackers continued to be available in the city's markets despite regulatory curbs.
Adhikari, however, maintained that the administration had responded promptly to violations and fire-related incidents, saying authorities had acted swiftly when fires broke out at three to four locations during the celebrations.
