It is not unusual to see a festival in Mumbai preceded by a petition or two from agitating citizens’ groups demanding adherence to noise norms and other rules. The regular legal directives seem to be paying off.
Noise levels this Diwali showed a marked reduction in many locations, readings taken by the city-based NGO Awaaz Foundation show.
In a note sent on Thursday to Mumbai Police Commissioner Ahmad Javed and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, the foundation noted that there was a “tangible reduction” in the overall noise levels of firecrackers.
“The use of noisy crackers was drastically reduced, recording a maximum of 117 decibels instead of the earlier levels of over 125 decibels. During the previous years, firecrackers were often used for several days before Laxmi Puja, while this year, very few crackers were burst. Increased public awareness as well as enforcement of the 10 p.m. deadline by the police contributed to this overall reduction. Peak noise levels lasted for about an hour near the 10 p.m. deadline and police action to end the use of crackers was effective by about 10.45 p.m.,” the study found.
Time and again, the court intervenes to try and keep a check on the breach of civil regulations, making Mumbai’s popular festivals a much adjudicated affair. Last month, the Bombay High Court directed the State government to make a record of action taken against the breach of noise pollution norms during the festivals of Navratri and Diwali.
The court also gave a nod to the Shiv Sena’s Dasara rally – a political affair touted by the party as a cultural and religious programme. However, it cautioned political parties to comply with the noise pollution norms, keeping the difficulties of Mumbaikars in mind. Ahead of the Dahi Handi celebrations, the High Court directed the Maharashtra government to restrict the height of human pyramids to 20 feet. The court, in July, refused to bend after the Mumbai civic body sought relaxation of noise norms for the Ganesh festival and asked the State to frame a policy for grant of permissions to ‘pandals’.
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