Crackers burst as Kolkata gets into Diwali mode at 9pm

KOLKATA: The nine-minute lights-off call from the Prime Minister to display the collective resolve in the battle against Covid-19 turned into frenzied celebration in pockets of Kolkata with bursting of crackers, reminding people of Diwali. It sent shockwaves reverberating through the city.
The mindless outburst of noise was not only out of place at a time when the city and rest of the country is battling a dangerous contagion, it also undid much of the environmental benefit that the lockdown had brought by again polluting the air.Bursting of crackers began as soon as the nine-minute show started and continued for well over 20 minutes. Though candles and diyas were sold in local markets in the morning, there had been no indication of the noisy celebration that was in store later in the evening.
Even Kolkata Police officers were clueless and taken completely unawares by the development.
“The PM had made no mention of any sound. Our only agenda on Sunday was to enforce the lockdown. We were not prepared for what happened after 9.10pm. But as soon as complaints began to pour in, we asked patrol teams to try and identify the spots from where the crackers were being burst. We will draw up specific cases once we know who all resorted to this act,” said a senior officer. Later, 98 persons were arrested from various localities.
If sound wasn’t enough, a sky lantern that was released got stuck in a tamarind tree and set it afire. The fire spread to a kadam tree. “I was at my bedroom when I realised the flames were near my third floor window. Residents of the entire building had to rush to the terrace and pour buckets of water to douse the flames,” said graphic designer Puja Sengupta.
A senior scientist in the environment department rued the bursting of banned firecrackers not only resulted in noise pollution, it also led to release of toxins and particulate matter in the air. “At a time when the entire world is showcasing how the earth is healing itself in the absence of human activity, this senseless action has brought shame,” he said. While many responded to the Covid-19 lights off-on event, others participated as it reminded them of Earth Day, an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 when lights are switched off for an hour to demonstrate support for environmental protection. They, along with those who had stayed away, were shocked when crackers were burst.
The noise also drowned the sigh of relief that electrical engineers expressed after the system remained stable when homes switched on the lights. In Kolkata, power demand fell by 125 MW during the nine minute switch-off while in the rest of the state, demand nosedived by 1,725 MW