📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Slyronit
Health
Firecracker Noise Threatens Hearing: India’s Legal Limit 125 dB, 120 dB Harmful for Kids
✍️ Amar Ujala
🗓 07 Nov 2026, 07:16 AM
👁 12
Experts warn that firecracker sounds above 120 decibels can damage children's hearing, while India's legal ceiling for noise is set at 125 decibels.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has reaffirmed that the permissible noise level for firecrackers is 125 decibels, measured at a 15‑metre radius from the source. This ceiling aligns with national standards aimed at curbing excessive sound pollution during festive periods.
Audiologists caution that exposure to sound levels exceeding 120 decibels can cause irreversible damage to the delicate hair cells of the inner ear, especially in children whose auditory systems are more vulnerable. Such exposure may lead to permanent hearing loss or chronic tinnitus.
With Diwali approaching and firecracker usage traditionally surging, health officials are urging the public to opt for low‑decibel fireworks and to protect young ears with earplugs or distance from the blast zone. Authorities have been instructed to monitor compliance and impose penalties on vendors who sell or ignite fireworks that breach the legal limit.
Despite regulatory measures, illegal and high‑intensity fireworks continue to circulate in many markets, prompting calls for stricter enforcement and greater public awareness about the long‑term health risks associated with loud explosions.
Audiologists caution that exposure to sound levels exceeding 120 decibels can cause irreversible damage to the delicate hair cells of the inner ear, especially in children whose auditory systems are more vulnerable. Such exposure may lead to permanent hearing loss or chronic tinnitus.
With Diwali approaching and firecracker usage traditionally surging, health officials are urging the public to opt for low‑decibel fireworks and to protect young ears with earplugs or distance from the blast zone. Authorities have been instructed to monitor compliance and impose penalties on vendors who sell or ignite fireworks that breach the legal limit.
Despite regulatory measures, illegal and high‑intensity fireworks continue to circulate in many markets, prompting calls for stricter enforcement and greater public awareness about the long‑term health risks associated with loud explosions.