Real-time monitoring of sound, air pollution on Diwali underway in Bengal: Minister

West Bengal Environment Minister Manas Bhuniya Monday said the new central control room at Paribesh Bhavan here is monitoring sound and air pollution in real time on Diwali and Kali Puja.

Bhuniya, who inspected the control room at the West Bengal Pollution Control Board headquarters, told reporters that experts from IIT-Delhi are examining the data at regular intervals, particularly during evening, and passing on the information to departments concerned. ''If there is any data about violation of sound limits prescribed by the WBPCB, we will mark the hotspots and officers of the respective police stations will be alerted, and the offenders will be tracked,'' he said.

Over 100 mini control rooms at the district level across North and South Bengal are functioning since the evening and feeding data to the central control room every minute, an Environment Department official said.

WBPCB chairman Kalyan Rudra said so far, the situation has not turned alarming, which can be attributed to the campaign in favour of green fireworks and the continuous steps to prevent the flooding of non-certified, illegal fireworks in the market.