Noise at Sena’s Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park touches 88db

The Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on Wednesday evening violated the noise limit condition laid down by the Bombay high court, said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. HT reports.

The Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on Wednesday evening violated the noise limit condition laid down by the Bombay high court, said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation.

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According to Abdulali, who was asked by the court to monitor the levels during the rally, the noise during the speeches reached the 88-decibel (dB) mark, as opposed to the 60-dB limit set by the high court.

Abdulali said that despite the Sena’s claim that a distributed sound system was in place, noise levels outside Shivaji Park were extremely high. “The levels were as high as in the past two years and there was no apparent change in the sound distribution system as directed by the HC. Before the rally started, noise from drums and songs played at the park was around 60dB. As the speeches began, the levels increased to 88dB,” said Abdulali.

Last week, the high court had granted permission to the Sena to hold the party’s annual Dussehra rally after the civic authorities denied them permission.

The court granted permission with several conditions, asking the Sena to use distributed sound system that would limit the noise within Shivaji Park. It had also asked the party to keep the noise below the 60-dB mark and to put up noise barriers.

According to residents of the area, the Sena had put up asbestos sheets around the park.

In May 2010, the high court had declared that Shivaji Park fell within the silence zone and restrained the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation from permitting any public meeting at the ground without its permission. The order was in response to a public interest litigation filed by Wecom Trust, an NGO.