The Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) has appealed to the people of the city to celebrate Deepavali with more of sparklers and without fire crackers. High noise annoys, causes discomfort and has long ranging physiological and psychological ill-effects, it said.
Excessive noise leads to tinnitus, temporary hearing loss and in some cases it could cause permanent hearing loss. Exposure to high noise levels during pregnancy may result in high frequency hearing loss in newborns and may be associated with pre-maturity and intrauterine growth retardation. For normal individuals, cochlear damage is likely and animals too are not spared of the agony of high noise.
The Union Government has enacted noise standards for crackers in an effort to control pollution.
Sale or use of crackers that generate noise level exceeding 125 dB (AI) or 145 DB© pk at 4 m distance from the point of bursting is prohibited.
