This Diwali, there was definitely more focus in the media on the pollution from crackers – noise and air. But paradoxically, there was also, definitely as much or even more pollution, in most cities on this night. Delhi, in most parts, the air was foul. The noise was deafening. Why was there no change? Why, when school children have been vocal in their advocacy against noise pollution from crackers, governments have made the right noises about banning crackers? Why is there no perceptible impact of these actions?

The reason simply is that we do not consider that health is of any concern. It is still not on the public agenda. Therefore, it becomes easy, too easy, for the vested interests to ensure that any efforts to curtail pollution are stymied and killed. Take the case of firecrackers. There is a huge and equally vocal lobby operating to support a dirty and noxious industry. The lobby works overtime, first to ensure that the regulations for noise levels is diluted, then to ensure that the regulations are toothless. Not worth the paper they are written on because there is no implementation.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) notified noise standards for firecrackers way back in 1999 after an expert committee, headed by M L Munjal of the Indian Institute of Science examined the issue. It commissioned the National Physical Laboratory