E-Paper
Dahi handis go down, noise levels go up
MUMBAI: Though the number of dahi handis fell following the Supreme Court (SC) directive of restricting the height of human pyramids, noise level recorded this year
MUMBAI: Though the number of dahi handis fell following the Supreme Court (SC) directive of restricting the height of human pyramids, noise level recorded this year was higher as compared to 2015.
While the permissible noise limit during the day is supposed to be 50-55 decibel (dB), the highest recorded noise was 109.4db at Shivsena Bhavan in Dadar. Sumaira Abdulali from Awaaz Foundation recorded noise levels at Dadar, Bandra, and Kandivli .
“A fall in the number of dahi handis did not help reduce noise pollution. The bigger mandals that celebrated the festival, flouted various norms including noise pollution, blocked roads and installed illegal banners,” she said.
NO DECLINE
The noise level recorded opposite DCP office (Zone IX ) in Bandra was 91.2dB at 1.26pm. However, the decibel level increased to 103dB when the second reading was taken at 4pm. Abdulali added that the revellers blocked the entire road, leaving a small opening for the pedestrians to pass by .
The highest noise were recorded outside Shivsena Bhavan, where noise level from loudspeakers played by a Sena Yuva Mandal blared at an agonising 109.4dB.
Similarly, reading taken at Dadar station at 3pm was 108.4dB. The loudspeakers here belonged to a mandal affiliated with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
Last year, the highest noise was recorded was 105dB.
“Despite high court issuing order against blocking of roads and ensuring free pedestrian movement, several mandals flouted norms despite police presence. Major roads in Bandra, such as the Hill Road, had only a single lane for commuters because the police had barricaded most of them,” said a Bandra resident. THE NORM
The maximum permissible limit in residential zones (where most of events took place) is 55dB during daytime.
As per Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, noise levels should not exceed 50-55dB during daytime and 40-45dB at night across residential zones.
