Must balance right to noiseless life with need for cultural activities: HC

Expressing the need to attain a balance between a citizen’s right to peaceful and noiseless life with cultural activities, the Bombay high court suggested that the state government set up a special committee for considering viewpoints of stakeholders.

Expressing the need to attain a balance between a citizen’s right to peaceful and noiseless life with cultural activities, the Bombay high court suggested that the state government set up a special committee for considering viewpoints of stakeholders.

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The division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Niteen Jamdar made the suggestion during the hearing of a petition filed by RK Educational Foundation. The court has requested the presence of Satyapal Singh, commissioner of police of Mumbai, and the secretary of the cultural affairs department during the next hearing on November 5.

The bench has also requested advocate general Darius Khambata and additional solicitor general Kevic Setelwad be present during the hearing, when further direction for the setting up of the special committee is likely to be issued.

Making a note of several pleas that were made to the court seeking permission to hold functions in silence zones, the bench said it would be in the fitness of things that the state government, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and the commissioner of police consider the viewpoints of stakeholders to ensure a balance between the right of a citizen to a noise-pollution free atmosphere and the need for cultural activities in the city. Meanwhile, the court has granted RK Educational Foundation permission to hold its function at Mhada ground on the condition that it uses distributed sound system at the venue.