Why no action against violators of noise pollution, asks HC

The Bombay high court has pulled up the Maharashtra government for not prosecuting organisers of religious festivals who violated noise pollution rules.

The Bombay high court has pulled up the Maharashtra government for not prosecuting organisers of religious festivals who violated noise pollution rules.

A bench of justice Abhay Oka and justice AS Gadkari further questioned the government as to why it had issued fresh licences to the organisers of religious festivals when they had allegedly breached the noise pollution levels in the past.

The court was on Friday hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Dr Mahesh Bedekar alleging breach of noise pollution levels in nearby Thane district.

The state and other respondents argued that the police had filed FIRs in such cases but the court said that action should have been taken against the defaulters under the Environment Protection Act and other relevant laws.

The PIL demanded that the organisers of religious festivals who were granted licences should give an undertaking to abide by the noise pollution rules and pay a hefty deposit which should be forfeited in case of breach of conditions imposed by the authorities.

The court wanted to know whether this condition could be imposed on the organisers but the State informed that it would have to introduce a Government Resolution to introduce this penal clause in case of violation of noise pollution rules.