India, Sept. 8 -- While noise levels during Ganesh immersion in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were lower than last year, they were still far above permissible limits, data from the COEP Technological University (COEPTU) has revealed. Authorities once again failed to rein in high-decibel celebrations despite awareness drives, monitoring exercises and police directives.

On Laxmi Road, the city's main immersion route, the average noise level this year was recorded as 92.6 decibels. While this was lower compared to previous years, when noise levels routinely crossed 100 decibels, it was still considerably higher than the prescribed 55 decibels for residential areas. In 2024, the COEPTU data suggested that the average noise level in the central p...