Your Space: Do rooftop bars have permission to play loud music outdoors?
Baner residents have been protesting against pubs and bars in their locality for over two years now. Hindustan Times had reported on their crusade against pubs and bars playing loud music and causing nuisance in the area. Here, residents throw more light on the issue.
This is in reference to your detailed report ‘Baner residents battle bars’ on April 6, which covers all the aspects that we have been battling for nearly two years now. You have covered the entire issue comprehensively and have spoken to all stake holders.
With Hindustan Times having taken up our issue, we feel that our voice has reached out to the rest of the residents and officials and we sincerely appreciate Hindustan Times’ efforts in publishing it. Our hope is that peace will return to our neighbourhood soon.
“You need to coexist” was the advice we received from the state excise commissioner. We were shocked to note that throughout the hearing of our case in September 2017, the commissioner / judge gave us sermons that we need to learn to coexist as Mumbaikars do.
We tried to place our point of view but were never allowed to speak. Hence, we feel that whenever we go to the authorities, we are either ridiculed or shooed off, except at the Pune district collector’s office, which gave us a patient hearing thrice.
The district collector’s decisions were helpful, but were overturned by the excise officer.
The date-wise chronology of our protests as presented in the full-page report gives a clear idea of the extent to which we have followed up as we have our homes here. The amount of time we have invested, sometimes even taking our children along with us to express our concerns and also to make our point that living next to these establishments was difficult for the entire family, is huge.
The biggest issue is that the authorities have absolutely no clue or capability to analyse the social nuisance that these bars and pubs cause. There is no feasibility study of such establishments opening up in residential areas.
The residents have put in their efforts and have filed RTI petitions and obtained documents relating to permissions granted. Ideally, this work should have been done by the authorities themselves after we officially complain.
The other strange thing is that the law says ‘drink and drive is an offence’ but, here, everyone visiting the pubs drive home drunk through our lanes.
The local corporators visited all the neighbouring societies before the elections and even assured us that they will stand by us. But after the elections, none of them have actually helped us or turned up when we were being troubled by the sound pollution from the pubs.
We feel that the Pune fire officer is not justified in saying that bars and pubs in Pune don’t require separate fire safety norms than the ones that are granted to restaurant kitchens. In spite of the fire tragedy at the ‘1 Above Pub’ in the Kamala Mills compound, in which a 28-year-old died while celebrating her birthday, no concrete action has been taken against rooftop establishments in Pune.
After the fire department served a closure notice to Teddy Boy, residents visited Chatuhshringi police station as the fire department had informed us that the police department will do the needful. But the Aundh Police chowky said that the fire department has to lodge an FIR against the establishment before they can come and shut them down. We also want to know whether they (establishments) have permission to play music outdoors in their terrace, rooftops?
We are waiting for the state excise minister’s office to give us a date for hearing. Our appeal was delivered to his office on October 28, 2017, almost six months ago. Despite several phone calls to his personal assistant and emails, we are still awaiting an appointment.
-Residents of Pallod Farms Phase-1
FROM OUR INBOX
GENDER EQUALITY SHOULD START FROM HOME, JUST LIKE CHARITY
Our honourable Prime Minister Modi’s favourite slogan ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padao’ has become a catchword nowadays as far as girls’ education is concerned. Though India has produced several bold, brave and intelligent women in various categories like education and medicine and in designations such as bank chief executive officers and fighter pilots, there is very little gender equality in spite of high educational qualifications. This is mainly due to the social attitude of the male, which is to dominate.
Be that as it may, a recent news item in a leading English newspaper reveals that Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that women are absolutely equal to men. He has planned to put forth this statement when he meets US President Trump for a CBS news program ‘60 Minutes’. He also said that since we are all human beings, there should be no inequality between men and women.
This is a rather pleasant news for Indian eves who, in spite of high qualifications, remain humble and meek homemakers. Just imagine top CEO Indra Nooyi being asked by her mother to fetch milk on her return journey from work. Career-oriented women are not given equal opportunity at home due to gender bias. In case the domestic maid remains absent, the mother of all virtues tells her daughter to do chores including sweeping and dish-washing, but not the son. Even in highly educated families, the husband does only the light household work whereas the wife toils from morning to night. She has to be an early bird to catch the first worm and the husband remains a night owl who keeps watching movies or are busy with mobile apps. Hence, equality should start from home, just like charity.
Dr Sanjana
PCMC SHOULD FOCUS ON ENFORCING TRAFFIC RULES AND TIMELY GARBAGE COLLECTION
I have been living in Ravet for the past two years. It is one of the most progressive and well-developing areas near the Pune-Mumbai expressway and is situated at the entrance to Pune.
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has been taking good care of transportation with their BRT system in the area. However, the main problem is that people are not following signals and traffic rules. During rush hours, especially in the evening from 6pm to 8pm,we face chaotic traffic just because people are not following signals and traffic rules. I am specifically referring to the area near Ravet pumping station, BRT road, at Ravet. Also, there are no CCTVs on this road stretch.
Secondly, the PCMC has been collecting plastic, dry and wet garbage through their garbage van initiative. However, the van does not have a fixed time of arrival and therefore, inconveniences residents tremendously.
Dr Sachin Bhor
PLASTIC BAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE
The government is mightily pleased with its directive implementing the plastic ban. They have been wanting to do it for the past few years and have finally got what they wanted. I feel this is a bad decision by the government for the following reasons:
The government was never serious in finding out ways and means to recycle and reuse plastics and failed miserably in this aspect.
The licenses for manufacturing plastic and thermocol products were handed out without going into the details of plastics disposal and without recycling plants in place.
Various municipal corporations, over the years, have also failed to address the issue. With one sweeping notification, they have taken away the livelihood of various manufacturers and their employees and distributors.
The manufacturers’ association too were never keen on being responsible for the disposal of plastic and never bothered to develop plastic recycling units.
Surprisingly in the notification, milk pouches have been left out just because the diary department objected to it. Why was this objection considered? Just because they were a part of the government,they were shielded.
I am hopeful that the plastic manufacturers’ petition, which is pending in courts, will bring about a more amicable solution to this mess.
Having said this, I now request our government to analyse how they are going dispose of the plastic products that have been generated already.Can they share some plans for it? If one looks at all the dustbins and garbage dumping grounds across cities in Maharashtra, one can see a maximum of plastic products. Also, if one has bothered to see the sides of railway tracks at any railway station platform entry and exit, you will see huge mounds of plastic bags, plates and others. Can the government and railways get together and get a disposal plan in place. I am ashamed to look out of the train window as it approaches or leaves a station.
N Kalyan
GOOD REPORTAGE ON THE SINHGAD INSTITUTES’ CRISIS
Thanks to HT Pune for bringing the Sinhgad Institutes’ issue under the spotlight. It is the only paper which dared to cover the issue right from the front page.
Hats off to the team’s effort on good reportage. It has to be noted that the students’ view was also reported by HT.
Omkar Revadkar
DOGS LITTERING STREETS OF CITY
We all start our day with a fresh cup of coffee, milk or tea and leave for school, college or work. Some go for a walk or jog around the streets in the morning to keep themselves fit and healthy. But there is something not very pleasurable to see in our daily, happy mornings. It’s the dogs that litter the streets. (Dear dog owners, no offence, be positive).
The street cleaners clean up the streets every morning, but the next day, it’s all littered again. It’s not a very pleasant sight is it?
As done in many western countries, we can make small local parks in the surroundings so that dog owners could take their dogs for a walk there. Also, a dustbin with small poly bags must be provided. If the dog litters, it is the responsibility of the owner to pick up the waste and if the owner carelessly walks away, he/she should be fined.
In cases where land is not available, dustbins with small poly bags should be provided on the streets. All this will not only support the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ but will also help reduce pollution and make our environment beautiful. I request our government to give due importance to the issue.
Ritu Rajiv Singh
PUBLIC TOILETS IN A VERY BAD SHAPE
Recently, I needed to use a public toilet and my experience was so sad that I am unable to express it in words. The condition of the toilet was pathetic, unhygienic, and poorly maintained. I request you to please look into this issue. If this is not attended to, the dream of making India clean will remain a dream and Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan will not become successful.
Prashant Shinde