Sion hospital takes down its speakers

Acting on a Hindustan Times' report that two public hospitals in the city were violating silence zone norms, police officials on Wednesday asked Sion Hospital to stop using loudspeakers kept in the Ganesh pandal in its premises.

Acting on a Hindustan Times' report that two public hospitals in the city were violating silence zone norms, police officials on Wednesday asked Sion Hospital to stop using loudspeakers kept in the Ganesh pandal in its premises.

HT Image

At KEM Hospital, the single loudspeaker in the Ganesh pandal on the campus was being used but its volume was considerably lowered.

The Noise Pollution (Control and Regulation) Rules 2000 identified silence zones as areas within 100 metres of courts, religious structures, educational institutions and hospitals. Loudspeakers are prohibited within silence zones.

On Tuesday, when HT visited the two hospitals, loudspeakers were blaring Marathi bhajans, near areas where patients are treated.

Both the hospitals were violating the silence zone norms by allowing loudspeakers to blare in their compounds.

On Wednesday, police officials asked Sion Hospital not to use loudspeakers.

"We have informed Sion Hospital to stop the use of loudspeakers in the hospital as it is a silence zone. They have complied with our instruction and stopped its use," said Dilip Patil, senior inspector of Sion police station.

VB Patil, senior inspector at Bhoiwada police station, under whose jurisdiction KEM Hospital falls, said that he had not checked if the hospital had taken permission to use loudspeakers.

"If anyone is being inconvenienced we will surely look into the matter," Patil said.

Pandal organisers at KEM Hospital defended the use of loudspeakers.

"We used the loudspeaker at a very low volume today only while doing the puja as the Ganesh idol is going for immersion," said Kashiram Mugdar, one of the organisers of the KEM pandal.

The organisers immersed the Ganesh idol on Wednesday evening.

"While we are celebrating in a hospital we should take care that we are not disturbing the patients," said Dr Sanjay Oak, dean, KEM Hospital on Wednesday.

At Sion Hospital, festivities will continue till Ananth Chaturdashi on September 11.