5-day permission for mandals to use loudspeakers during Ganpati festival: Shinde

CM Shinde was on a day long tour to Pune where he attended meetings of Ganpati Mandals’ committee held the Pune police commissioner office on Tuesday night

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday announced five days permission instead of the usual four days for mandals to use loudspeakers till midnight during Ganpati festival.

There are about 3,500 Ganpati Mandals in Pune. (PTI file image)

Shinde also instructed Pune police commissioner to give five years permission to erect mandals if they remain at the same spot during the 10-day festival.

According to current practice, local authorities like Pune Municipal Corporation give permission to Ganesh mandals to set up pandals ahead of the festival every year. The permission is valid for that year’s festival.

However, when mandals highlighted the problem in getting permission for setting up pandals every year during Tuesday’s meeting, CM said the validity of the approval will henceforth be for five years.

The rider that CM has invoked is that pandals need to be set up by mandals at same premises where they have been doing each year.

“We are going to celebrate all our festivals in a grand way this time and instructions have been given to the concerned government authorities and police department to ease the restrictions this year. Permission will be given for five days to mandals to play loudspeaker till 12 midnight,” said Shinde.

According to Supreme Court guidelines, loudspeakers cannot be played beyond 10pm in public places with an exemption for 15 days, which is decided by local administration.

The chief minister also relaxed norms for box Kaman (arches) permission which was earlier given for two Kamans to four now.

Shinde added that the issues pertaining to giving permanent power meters to Mandals will also be taken care of.

“We have instructed Pune district collector to conduct an immediate meeting with the MSEDCL officials and provide a permanent meter to Mandals who demand for it,” added Shinde.

“We have around 3,500 Ganpati Mandals in Pune city and there is a big tradition to the Pune’s Ganpati festival for many years with Manache Ganpatis (most revered mandals) and other prominent mandals in Pune,” said Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta.