If experts on human hearing and pollution monitoring agencies are to be taken seriously, fire-crackers are making each of us more and more vulnerable to serious auditory damage. The Central Pollution Control Board, which surveyed the noise levels that day, for one, has concluded that this Diwali was noisier than any ever before.

The academic findings are corroborated by ground-level statements like N Chhatriwala's. Says one of the main fire-cracker traders in the city, ``Though we sold crackers worth only about Rs 6 crore -- Rs 2 crore less than our 1995 takings -- varieties like `Titanic', `Akashmala' and `Dilwala', which sold well, were far noisier than the old crackers''.

While there are plenty of admirers of the new varieties, they are quite possibly dangerous for the aural nerves. CPCB scientists Dr S S Bala and Dr Utpal Mukherjee say that while the permissible noise level ranges between 45 and 60 decibels (dB-A), it had often risen to 95 dB-A (see box) on Diwali day. The Karelibaug area, for instance, saw (or heard) 72 dB-A in the day and 81 in the night.

Senior ENT surgeons and members of the Indian Medical Association admit that ear ailments rise around Diwali, though they do not have any records in the context.

Surgeons Milind Nene and Mayank Bhatt -- Bhatt is also a senior office-holder of the IMA -- and IMA president Rajesh Trivedi say that despite awareness about noise pollution and the harmful effects of very noisy fire-crackers, their popularity was not going down. ``This is a serious issue'', says Bhatt, while Trivedi adds that IMA plans to launch a campaign on this very subject.

According to surgeons and doctors, the sudden noise of a cracker bursting can damage the inner parts of the ear, leading to temporary hearing loss. If the ear is subjected to the noise continuously for more than an hour, it may lose its aural powers permanently.

The distance, too, matters a great deal. While the very loud sounds affect the auditory nerves, a cracker burst at close quarters can perforate the tympanic membrane or the ear-drum. Though perforations can be repaired, any sign of deafness, including a ringing in the ears, must be taken seriously as it indicates damage to the inner ear, doctors say.

While the CPCB is planning a campaign about high-decibel firecrackers, Gujarat Pollution Control Board regional officer N L Kansagra says that its Gandhinagar branch is also thinking of stepping up awareness on this count.

``People have to be careful themselves'', he says, adding that they should be responsible for their own health as well as the environments.