Kolkata witnessed widespread firecracker bursting on Diwali night, with pollution levels soaring and complaints of excessive noise emerging from several parts of the city.

However, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP leaders defended the celebrations, blaming communists for raising objections, invoking a “Sanatan awakening” and even claiming that firecrackers could cure illnesses.

Responding to complaints about the widespread bursting of noisy firecrackers, Adhikari told reporters in Kolkata, “The communists are doing it,” The Telegraph Online reported.

While acknowledging that crackers had been burst beyond the permitted 10 pm deadline, he claimed that the police had taken action against those violating the restrictions.

Defending the celebrations, he said, “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 had turned Hindu festivals into cultural programmes. They had pushed the scriptures aside. They do not apply tilak, they do not wear the sacred thread of Bipad Tarini on their hands, and they do not wear tulsi beads around their necks.”

The chief minister maintained that firecracker use had been largely controlled and that people should be allowed to celebrate with green crackers. He also claimed that the state government had taken adequate measures to regulate noise pollution in accordance with Supreme Court directives. Referring to fires reported at three to four locations, he said the authorities had responded promptly.

Arguing that his government had successfully prevented DJ music despite criticism over the extended bursting of firecrackers, Adhikari said, "I, at least, did not hear any DJ music along the roads."

Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul also toured several parts of Kolkata around midnight on Diwali in a police vehicle to monitor compliance with restrictions on firecrackers. She was seen issuing instructions to people at multiple locations.

Paul had earlier proposed adding rose water to the water used for mist spraying as a measure to tackle air pollution in the city. In a Facebook post on Sunday, she said the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), acting on the state government's instructions, had been regularly spraying water mist in different parts of the city, particularly in areas recording higher AQI levels.

Claiming that the exercise was helping reduce dust concentrations and keep pollution levels somewhat under control, Paul suggested introducing rose water into the mist during festivals, including Kali Puja.

"This will not only help control dust particles in the air but also spread the pleasant fragrance of rose water throughout the surrounding environment...," Paul said.

The proposal, however, drew criticism from environmental activist Somendra Mohan Ghosh, who argued that Kolkata needed measures to tackle the sources of pollution rather than cosmetic solutions.

"Spraying rose water might make the air smell pleasant temporarily but would do little to address the underlying pollution problem. Rose water won't fix Kolkata's air. But clean action will. With due respect to the minister, the fragrance will vanish within two minutes," Ghosh told PTI.

Meanwhile, pollution monitoring data indicated that Kolkata's air quality remained uneven across different neighbourhoods on Monday, the day after Diwali. The city recorded an average AQI of 167, placing it in the moderate category, while Jadavpur registered a poor AQI of 221.

West Bengal Pollution Control Board data showed Jadavpur recording the highest AQI, followed by Beniapukur at 195, Ballygunge at 191 and Bidhannagar at 177. Rabindra Sarobar fared comparatively better, with an AQI of 125.

The concentration of particulate pollutants also remained high, with PM2.5 levels hovering around 106 micrograms per cubic metre and PM10 at approximately 154 micrograms per cubic metre.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, AQI readings between 101 and 200 fall in the moderate category, while levels between 201 and 300 are classified as poor. PM2.5 particles are particularly hazardous as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of serious health complications.

The contrasting statements from the BJP leadership, criticism from within the party and complaints from residents have brought the enforcement of pollution-control regulations during Kolkata's festive celebrations under renewed scrutiny.