West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari. File
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and a few of his BJP colleagues have defended Deepavali celebrations in Kolkata after several parts of the city witnessed severe air pollution on the night of the festival, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 500 and noise levels crossing permissible limits in some areas.
About 205 people were arrested for violation of the rules governing firecrackers in the West Bengal capital.
While a section of residents of the city and its suburbs were vocal about their displeasure on social media, Mr. Adhikari blamed “communists”, and those who do not have Sanatani (traditionalist Hindu) beliefs for criticising the government.
“People will celebrate a little during Diwali and burst green crackers, what is the problem with that? Actually, some people are having a problem because there has been such a Sanatan awakening. Those who are complaining have turned Hindu festivals into cultural programmes. They had pushed the scriptures aside,” the Chief Minister said while interacting with media persons.
Mr. Adhikari said the administration had taken the necessary measures to enforce the Supreme Court’s guidelines on noise pollution, though he acknowledged that some firecrackers were burst beyond the permitted hours.
“Some green firecrackers might have been burst after 10 p.m., but the police took action against those responsible. I feel the situation was largely under control,” he said.
While the Chief Minister stopped at blaming Communists and non- Sanatanis, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Papia Adhikari claimed that bursting firecrackers can cure several diseases.
She made the remark during a Kali Puja event in her constituency, in Kolkata’s Tollygunge area. “You will see that bursting firecrackers will cure many illnesses,” she told the crowd.
A few days ago, the State’s Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul suggested spraying a mist made of rose water and water to control air pollution in the city, a remark that has evoked sharp reactions from environmentalists.
Ms. Paul was among those who took to streets in Kolkata on Deepavali night, when air and noise pollution breached permissible limits. The Minister went out with police personnel to assess the situation and sought intervention from the Kolkata Police Commissioner.
BJP MLA Roopa Ganguly took to social media to seek police help, saying she was unable to sleep because of the noise from bursting of crackers.
“When will this noise stop? I cannot sleep. Kolkata Police please help,” she wrote.
The social media post was subsequently deleted.
Meanwhile, members of Sabuj Mancha, a prominent environmental platform in West Bengal, went to hospitals and found that noise levels were well above permissible limits.
The organisation has strongly urged the Kolkata Police and State government to strictly enforce rules related to the bursting of crackers.
Published – November 09, 2026 09:31 pm IST
