The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the civic body to not allow pandals and mandaps on roads and footpaths as they disturb traffic flow and cause inconvenience to citizens. The order assumes significance in view of the upcoming Ganpati festival, during which the city witnesses mushrooming growth of such pandals.
Beginning dictation of its order on a bunch of public interest litigations (PILs) and petitions filed by individuals and NGOs, highlighting the problems of non-implementation of noise pollution rules, a division bench of justices Abhay Oka and A Sayed also asked the state government to educate and make school and college students aware of noise pollution rules. If done so at an early stage of their life, over a period of time, noise levels during festivals would be reduced and citizens won't be inconvenienced, the division bench siad.
Harping on creating awareness of noise rules among students, the court said if they are taught these things at an early age, they would not violate noise norms in future, which would lead to curbing of pollution effectively.
Further, the court also confirmed its last year's interim order in which it had said that silence was a fundamental right of citizens. In that order, the court had asked the state to demolish temporary booths and platforms erected on roads without permission and also to provide a redressal mechanism for receiving complaints on noise pollution. The bench had also asked the police department, which grants permission for erecting pandals on roads/footpaths, to keep the pedestrian in mind before giving no-objection certificates for setting up of pandals.
On Wednesday, the high court had noted that despite Maharashtra being the land where the Father of Indian Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was born, several of its orders and guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court with regard to implementation of noise pollution rules were being violated with impunity in the state. The executive had created the machinery but perhaps it was not being supported by political bosses, leading to the breach, the court had said.
Further dictation of the high court order will continue on Friday.
On Wednesday, the high court had noted that despite Maharashtra being the land where the Father of Indian Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was born, several of its orders and guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court with regard to implementation of noise pollution rules were being violated with impunity in the state.
