BANGALORE: It is better to be safe than sorry. Karnataka Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has taken a few initiatives to avoid noise and air pollution in the city.Besides monitoring noise and air quality during Deepavali, the KSPCB has issued a letter to the director general and inspector general asking them to create a squad to check for sound emitting fire crackers, and to implement the supreme court directives to the education department to teach students about the effects of noise and air pollution and to all the regional offices to conduct noise and air monitoring before, during and after Deepavali.According to the Pollution Control Board statistics, during Deepavali, Bellary has highest level of ambient noise with 103 decibels, followed by Kolar with 84 decibels. In Bangalore, the AECS layout has recorded 85 decibels — the highest noise level during Deepavali in the city. Pollution levels rise by about six to 10 per cent during Deepavali, with nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide levels rising considerably.Here are some precautionary measures■ Prefer crackers which emit more light and have less explosive components.■ Do not allow young children to play with fireworks. Children cannot understand the danger involved and cannot act appropriately in case of an emergency.■ Light fireworks outdoors in a clean area away from houses, dry leaves, grass and other inflammable materials.■ One must keep a bucket or water nearby in case of any emergency.■ Don’t try to relight or handle malfunctioning firecrackers.■ Be sure other people are out of range before lighting firecrackers.■ Never ignite firecrackers in a container, especially glass or metal ones.■ Never have any portion of your body directly over a firecracker while lighting it. Stay at least at an arms distance from them.■ Don’t direct propellers or rockets towards people and buildings. ■ Avoid wearing clothes, which are hanging loose.In case of an eye injury■ Don’t press the eye with the palm or hand, lest the injury may get compounded.■ Don’t tie a cloth, across the eye firmly. This can cause undue pressure on the eye. Protect the eye with a cup or a shield.■ Wash the eye well with clean water in case of a chemical injury.■ Don’t neglect any eye injury, however trivial it may look. It is always better to rule out vision threatening problems.■ In the event of eye injury due to crackers, immediately wash your eyes with clean water and see an eye doctor at the earliest. Never self medicate.Where to call during emergency■ Sankara Eye Hospital: 9739188847■ Samprathi Eye Hospital & Squint Centre : 23367544, 23360099 or 9845423955■ Rangalakshmi Nethralaya, 9845138423, 28463544■ Narayana Nethralaya: 66121300, 66660655■ Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital: 26784012, 26784010, 26784011
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