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Ahead of festive season, noise pollution concerns put police, mandals at odds
The Pune police have received nearly 14,000 noise pollution complaints in the past eight months, reflecting growing concerns over loudspeakers, DJs and high-decibel sound systems across the city
Ahead of Dahi handi, Ganeshotsav and Navratri, the long-standing debate over noise pollution has intensified with the Pune police preparing to enforce existing norms more strictly even as political representatives and festival mandals oppose what they call excessive restrictions on loudspeakers and sound systems.
The Pune police have received nearly 14,000 noise pollution complaints in the past eight months, reflecting growing concerns over loudspeakers, DJs and high-decibel sound systems across the city.
On Thursday, Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar and senior officers reviewed sound systems commonly used during festivals. The exercise was intended to familiarise the police personnel with their functioning and technical capabilities, and help them enforce permissible noise limits effectively.
“During the upcoming festival season, noise levels must be maintained within limits prescribed under the Noise Pollution Control Act. To ensure effective implementation, police personnel need to understand the functioning of various sound systems. Therefore, a trial was conducted today. We will study the system in detail and subsequently prepare guidelines for its implementation,” said deputy commissioner of police Prashant Amritkar.
The issue has gained prominence following objections from festival organisers and political representatives to restrictions imposed on loudspeakers during recent religious celebrations, including Nag Panchami.
Police officials said that their objective is not to restrict religious or cultural celebrations but to prevent excessive noise and its impact on citizens. They are particularly concerned about high-powered DJ systems and large speaker setups used during processions and other festivities.
According to the police, Pune is currently witnessing a ‘DJ frenzy’ with increasingly powerful sound systems being deployed during celebrations, making stricter enforcement necessary in the interest of public health and the environment.
The restrictions have triggered political intervention. On Wednesday, a Shiv Sena delegation met the commissioner and raised concerns over restrictions on loudspeakers during festivals. The delegation said excessive noise should not be encouraged, but traditional celebrations should not face blanket or unnecessarily stringent curbs.
Shiv Sena city chief Dhiraj Ghate has also opposed the restrictions, while several Ganesh mandal activists have expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed curbs on sound systems during the festive season.
The police, meanwhile, have indicated that they are willing to consult stakeholders before finalising the enforcement mechanisms. Kumar told the delegation that the police understood the sentiments associated with festivals but could not ignore the health impact of excessive noise.
A meeting involving political parties, social organisations, festival mandals and other stakeholders is expected to be convened to discuss the issue and work towards an acceptable framework.
With the festive season approaching, the debate is increasingly about finding a balance between the right to celebrate and the right to live without excessive noise. The proposed stakeholder discussions could determine whether Pune sees tighter enforcement of existing norms, revised guidelines or a mutually negotiated framework for festive celebrations.
