SILCHAR, Nov 8: Silchar and other parts of Cachar district prepared for Kali Puja and Diwali, with shoppers crowding markets and temporary firecracker stalls opening at several locations ahead of the festivities.
Markets at Fatak Bazar, Gopalganj, Janiganj, Hospital Road, Tarapur and Meherpur reported increased activity as people bought earthen lamps, decorative lights, puja items and fireworks.
A Kali Puja pandal at Katigorah, modelled on the architectural form of Lord Ganesha, was inaugurated on Saturday by Swami Ganadheeshananda, secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Silchar. Rajya Sabha MPs Kanad Purkayastha and Sushmita Dev, Silchar MP Parimal Suklabaidya and Katigorah MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha attended the programme.
The Assam Pollution Control Board said only authorised green firecrackers could be sold and used. Firecrackers could be burst only between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali night and were prohibited within 300 metres of hospitals, educational institutions, courts and religious places. Violations could invite legal action.
Arabinda Das, Regional Executive Engineer at the APCB Regional Laboratory-cum-Office in Silchar, said the Board was monitoring noise levels before, during and after Diwali. Data collected during Durga Puja showed a significant rise in noise levels, with Janiganj recording the highest average among three monitoring stations, he said.
“The Pollution Control Board monitors noise levels, but the responsibility for implementing the regulations and controlling noise pollution rests with the district administration,” Das said.
Cachar District Commissioner Rahul Kumar Gupta said officials had been instructed to maintain law and order and magistrates had been deployed for the festivities. The administration would act on reports of violations from the Pollution Control Board and other sources, he said, urging residents to follow the prescribed timings and avoid bursting crackers near hospitals and other sensitive establishments.
