With Diwali just around the corner, officials of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) are keen on bursting firecrackers this week itself. But no, they are not in a celebratory mood; they want to test firecrackers and identify which ones flout the decibel sound limit. This is an unprecedented exercise is an attempt to restrict noisy crackers being sold in the city.

Sound check: The MPCB every year checks noise levels during Diwali, but this time it is going to conduct tests before the festival to find out what crackers cause the most noise. Representation Pic