3 Sena leaders booked for flouting noise levels

The police on Thursday night registered an FIR (first information report) against three organisers of Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally held at Shivaji Park on Thursday night for violating noise pollution norms.

The police on Thursday night registered an FIR (first information report) against three organisers of Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally held at Shivaji Park on Thursday night for violating noise pollution norms.

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According to the Shivaji Park police, the accused did not adhere to the 50-decibel sound limit, which is applicable to the ground after it was declared a silence zone by the Bombay high court last year.

“A case has been registered against Sena leader and former member of legislative council Anil Parab, head of the party’s Dadar branch Milind Vaidya, and party’s secretary Divakar Borkar,” said S Gaikwad, inspector, Shivaji Park police station.

According to the Shivaji Park police, Parab had approached the high court seeking permission to hold the rally, which was granted with the caveat that the party will have to abide by the noise pollution norms in the area, according to which, the noise levels should not exceed 50 decibels.

Parab said the party had not received any communication from the police yet. “We will decide our strategy only after getting summons from the police department,” he said.

Environmentalists say the situation could have been averted. “Either they could have held the rally elsewhere, or could have changed the technology by using a distributed sound system so that sound doesn’t travel,” said Sumaira Abdulali, managing trustee of Awaaz Foundation.

“Sena violated the norms last year too, but got permission to hold the rally in any case,” said Debi Goenka, head of NGO Conservation Action Trust.