Comparative Study of Ambient Noise Levels during Ganesh Festival in COVID-19 Pandemic and Non-Pandemic Years

Abstract

In Indian culture, festivals play a significant part and are enthusiastically observed by the populace. Every religion and community in India celebrates its own culture. The majority of these ceremonies and festivities end up creating pollution, particularly noise pollution. Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as the Ganesh festival, is one such event that is enthusiastically observed in Maharashtra, India. The present represents the noise pollution levels measured at renowned community pandals in Mumbai City in four consecutive years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 during the Ganesh festival. Based on indices like L10, L50, and L90, as well as noise pollution level (LNP) and noise climate (NC), noise level data was evaluated. A comparative study of noise levels was conducted for the data that was gathered during Ganesh Chaturthi. The city observed modest eco-friendly holiday celebrations, which significantly reduced noise levels brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020 year. Elevated noise levels were recorded in the year 2022 as the restrictions imposed during the pandemic year 2020 were dropped by the government authorities. The significant decrease in noise levels during the festival exhibits the fact that the pandemic crisis serves as a wake-up call for the local administration's demonstration of noise pollution reduction. Making new rules and procedures to reduce pollution and celebrate holidays sustainably can incorporate many parts of the epidemic.