As Mumbai celebrated Diwali last week, concerns over rising pollution levels once again took the centre stage. In this backdrop, Manish Pathak speaks with environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali, founder of Awaaz Foundation, about the twin threats of noise and air pollution to public health. Excerpts from the interview:

Q. What is your observation on noise and air pollution in Mumbai during Diwali?

Sumaira Abdulali: Luckily, this year, it rained both during the Ganpati festival as well as Diwali. Owing to the showers, air pollution went down, although noise pollution continued unabated. It was observed that crackers were bursting well beyond the permissible time limit of 10 pm, especially in the residential areas. As for air quality, it started to worsen as soon as Diwali started, but air pol

See Full Page