Mahim cops tender apology for use of loudspeakers in silence zone during fete

The Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mahim Division), Shilvan Dhovale, and senior police inspector of Mahim police station, Milind Idekar, on Tuesday submitted an unconditional apology to the Bombay High Court, which was hearing a contempt petition against them for allowing the use of loudspeakers inside the Mahim police station, a silence zone, during the Mahim fair in 2016.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Vibha Kankanwadi accepted the apology, but kept the petition pending until further orders. It directed the government to issue a notification to all police stations to ensure no permissions are given for use of loud speakers in silence zones and that noise pollution rules are not violated.

The court reiterated that the Mahim fair may have been a tradition, being celebrated for years, but noise pollution rules will have to be strictly adhered to.

Government pleader Geeta Shashtri submitted a notification, issued by State Home Department to police stations, asking them to implement noise pollution rules. However, the court said the notification was very vague as it did not specify zero use of loud noise in silence zones. Shastri told the court that she would get the notification clarified and a new one will be issued before the next date of hearing. The court posted the matter for further hearing on June 21.

The court also asked the Advocate General of the state to place on record the compliance reports of the order passed by the court, regarding implementation of noise pollution rules, to ensure that during the forthcoming festive season there is less noise in the city.

Matter of decibels

Sumaira Abdulali claimed that on December 13, 2016, on the first day of the fair, she had gone to record the noise levels at Mahim, and that they were above permissible limits.
She then filed a contempt petition against the police and  wrote to the Mumbai Police Commissioner.