289 religious places in Solapur remove loudspeakers voluntarily

Of the said 289 religious places, 192 are Muslim institutions including mosques, madrasas and dargahs, 79 are temples, 10 are churches, and eight are Buddhist Viharas; all of which previously had loudspeakers installed in their premises.

PUNE: After becoming the first city in Maharashtra to have DJ-free Ganesh festival celebrations, Solapur has also now become the first city in the state to have as many as 289 religious places voluntarily remove loudspeakers from their premises. This marks a major milestone in the city’s efforts to curb noise pollution and at the same time, maintain communal harmony.

289 religious places in Solapur remove loudspeakers voluntarily

Of the said 289 religious places, 192 are Muslim institutions including mosques, madrasas and dargahs, 79 are temples, 10 are churches, and eight are Buddhist Viharas; all of which previously had loudspeakers installed in their premises. The move follows sustained efforts by the Solapur city police across three phases.

In June this year, the Solapur city police began removing illegal loudspeakers through multiple rounds of dialogue with community and religious leaders. Initially, there was some resistance but through repeated discussions, the authorities convinced all stakeholders about the adverse impact of loudspeakers on public health.

Explaining the step-by-step approach, Solapur police commissioner Meganathan Rajkumar, said, “In the first stage, we measured the sound levels of all installed loudspeakers and brought to the notice of institutions the violations, issuing oral warnings. In the second stage, panchnamas were drawn up and penal processes were initiated against repeat violators. In the third stage, sample cases were registered against those who continued to violate norms despite warnings.”

Rajkumar shared that a meeting held on Monday, originally planned to discuss deadlines for legal action against non-compliant institutions, turned into a ‘Thanksgiving Meet’ as all trustees had already removed loudspeakers voluntarily.

Rajshekhar Hirehabbu, trustee, Shree Markandey Mandir, Solapur, said, “After the appeal from the city police, we removed the loudspeakers installed at Gramdaivat Siddheshwar temple, Mallikarjun temple, Old Siddheshwar temple, and Revansiddheshwar temple. These temples are nearly 900 years’ old. It is our duty to respect the orders of the court and police administration for the betterment of society.”

Qazi Sayyed Ali, Solapur city Qazi, said, “We have voluntarily removed all loudspeakers from religious places in Solapur. The law must apply equally to all communities, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no one is harmed.”

Rajkumar said, “With the help of all communities, we have already made Solapur DJ-free. The court’s directions are for everyone and no one community. We are glad that all leaders came together and removed the loudspeakers voluntarily.”

According to the Solapur city police, the city has 893 religious places, 604 of which do not have loudspeakers while 289 had loudspeakers previously which they have now removed voluntarily. The Solapur city police have lauded the efforts of religious leaders and trustees for setting an example of mutual respect, lawfulness, and communal harmony. Following the DJ-free Ganesh festival celebrations, the voluntary removal of loudspeakers has been widely appreciated by citizens and environmental groups who have hailed Solapur’s peaceful and inclusive approach to resolving a sensitive issue.