Needless honking not OK please: You will be fined ₹2,000 in Mumbai soon 
​ The state government on Thursday informed the Bombay high court it was awaiting presidential nod for implementation of the enactment
MUMBAI Updated: Jun 30, 2017 00:55 IST
Kanchan Chaudhari 
Hindustan TimesSoon, needless honking and honking in silence zones will be punishable offences in Maharashtra. 
The state government on Thursday informed the Bombay high court it was awaiting presidential nod for implementation of provisions of the Maharashtra Transport and Road Safety Act, 2017 which penalises needless honking and honking in silence zones.
The section 20 of the Act prohibits drivers from sounding horns “needlessly or continuously or more than what is necessary to ensure safety” from blowing horns in silence zones, from using multi-toned horns creating harsh, shrill, loud or alarming noise, or from driving vehicles after making modification in exhaust leading to creation of undue noise.
Section 23 of the Act provides a penalty of Rs2,000 for each violation. The Maharashtra Assembly passed the enactment in April 2017, advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told the court.
Kumbhakoni was responding to a bunch of public interest litigations filed by activists like Dr Yashwant Oke, Sumaira Abdulali of Aawaz Foundation and Thane-based activist Dr Mahesh Bedekar complaining about violations of Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, especially during celebration of festivals such as Ganeshotsav, Navratri and dahi handi and inaction of the authorities over complaints.
​
The advocate general told the court the state government will conduct noise mapping in 10 cities across Maharashtra, including urban areas in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Nagpur, in the first phase. While noise monitoring has started in Nagpur, it will start at the nine locations in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Mira Bhyander, Vasai-Virar, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur and Panvel within a week. According to an affidavit filed by Vijay Kharat, assistant inspector general of police, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued a work order to NEERI to carry out noise mapping in these cities.
The affidavit also states a database for noise mapping has been created in 22 cities. 
The MPCB has also procured 25 sound level meters. 
The affidavit said the MPCB has set up real-time continuous noise monitoring stations at 10 locations in and around Mumbai, including Wadala, Bandra, Powai, Andheri, Kandivali, Fort, Chembur, Thane and at Vashi and Mahape in Navi Mumbai and real-time data is being displayed at five of these locations.

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State directs police not to grant permission to use of loudspeakers in silence zone
DNA CORRESPONDENT | Fri, 23 Jun 2017-07:05am , DNAActivist Sumaira Abdulali had filed the contempt petition against the officers for allowing the use of loudspeakers inside the Mahim police station, a silence zone, last year, during the annual Mahim fair 
The Bombay High Court on Thursday disposed the contempt petition filed against policemen of Mahim police station after the state government informed the government that it has issued directions to all police stations not to issue license for use of loudspeakers in silence zones.
A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Vibha Kankanwadi said, "The direction issued by the home department is applicable to police stations across the state and hence we take a lenient view."
The court was also informed that a warning note has been issued to Shilvan Dhovale, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mahim Division), and senior police inspector Milind Idekar, for wrongly issuing permission to use loudspeakers inside the compound of Mahim Police station.
Activist Sumaira Abdulali had filed the contempt petition against the officers for allowing the use of loudspeakers inside the Mahim police station, a silence zone, last year, during the annual Mahim fair.

TAGS

• Bombay High Court
• loudspeakers
• Mahim Police Station
• silence zones
• Justice Abhay Oka
• Justice Vibha Kankanwadi
• Shilvan Dhovale
• Milind Idekar
• Sumaira Abdulali

 

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Metros, Mumbai
Court discharges cops guilty of noise pollution during Urs
THE ASIAN AGE. 
Published : Jun 23, 2017, 2:56 am IST 
Updated : Jun 23, 2017, 2:55 am IST 
The activist claimed that the police used blaring loudspeakers and played music while taking out the sandal.

 Bombay High CourtMumbai: The Bombay high court on Thursday discharged two police officers from Mahim police station, who had been served contempt notices for allowing violation of noise pollution norms in the police station premises which is a silent zone. The contempt notices were issued after a NGO complained that at the time of the annual Urs festival, the policemen themselves started a procession using loudspeakers. The court discharged the officials after the state gave an undertaking that rules pertaining to silent zones would be strictly implemented and after the officers gave unconditional apologies for flouting norms.
A division bench of justices A.S. Oka and V.V. Kankanwadi was hearing a petition filed by activist Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation, alleging that the police officials connived with revellers and flouted noise pollution norms during the Urs festival. The activist claimed that the police used blaring loudspeakers and played music while taking out the sandal (a religious custom), thereby violating noise pollution norms.
Addulali said, “The police is supposed to ensure that people do not violate pollution norms. But when policemen themselves are guilty of the same, what can be done!” After hearing the petition, the court had issued the two officers i.e. ACP Shivlan Dhobale and senior police inspector Milind Jolekar contempt notices. On Thursday however, after the counsel for the state submitted an undertaking and apology of the police officers, the court discharged the two police officers. The court said that it would issue a letter of displeasure to Dhobale and a stern warning to Jolekar if it was found that noise pollution norms had been flouted. “The state has given an undertaking and the officers have expressed regret and hence, there is no reason to continue contempt proceedings. Hence, the petition is dismissed and the officers discharged,” said the bench.


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Contempt charges against two cops droppedTNN | Updated: Jun 22, 2017, 11.42 PM IST
Mumbai: Bombay high court on Thursday dropped contemptproceedings against two police officers who allowed loudspeakers to be played inside the compound of Mahim police station.

The court had on April 21 issued contempt notices to senior inspector Milind Idekar of Mahim police station and assistant commissioner of police Shivlan Dhovale. The loudspeakers were used on the first day of the Mahim Dargah festival on December 13, 2016. The police station is built where the Sufi saint Makhdum Ali Mahimi lived. The court heard a contempt plea by NGO Awaaz Foundation, which said the area is a silence zone with a balwadi next door.

A bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka said it was a gross breach of the HC's order as not only were loudspeakers allowed to be used in the precinct of the police station but permission was granted to use it in a silence zone. It accepted as an undertaking directions issued by the state to the cops not to grant permission to loudspeakers in the precinct of the police station. The state said it issued a letter of displeasure to Dhovale and a stern warning to Idekar.

Taking a lenient view, the judges acknowledged that the officers have tendered their unconditional apologies. "We make it clear that any further breach by the contemnor/state it will be a case of aggravated contempt,'' they added, and discharged the contempt notices.

Copyright © 2017 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service

Will sensitise cops on noise pollution during festivals: Government to Bombay High Court
DNA CORRESPONDENT | Thu, 22 Jun 2017-07:15am , DNAThe state government on Wednesday informed Bombay High Court that it would sensitise policemen about noise pollution rules to ensure proper implementation during the forthcoming festive season.
Government Pleader Abhinandan Vagyani said, “Most of the time, policemen visit the place where loud music is being played, and on their arrival, the organisers stop, but soon restart once the cops leave.” 
To this, a bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Vibha Kankanwadi said, “Forget about prosecution, if you, as per our order, stop the music and seize music systems, it will bring immediate relief to citizens.”
The court also asked the state government to clarify in particular about banning the granting of permission for use of loudspeakers in the premises of Mahim Police station during the annual Mahim fair. 
Additional Government Pleader Geeta Shashtri submitted a clarification that policemen will not issue permission for use of loudspeakers in silence zones. However, the court said, “This is too vague, when the specific defence taken was that due to the tradition of the Mahim fair going on for years, permission was granted for use of loudspeakers inside Mahim Police station compound.” The court has asked the government for a clarification by Thursday.
The direction was given during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by activist Sumaira Abdulali against Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mahim Division), Shilvan Dhovale and senior police inspector of Mahim police station Milind Idekar for allowing use of loudspeakers inside Mahim police station, a silence zone, during the Mahim fair in 2016. 

©2017 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.

Mahim cops tender apology for use of loudspeakers in silence zone during fete
File photo of Mahim police officers at the Makhdoom Shah Baba Dargah
DNA CORRESPONDENT | Wed, 14 Jun 2017-07:40am , DNAThe 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 decibelsSumaira 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.

©2017 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd.

INDIA TODAY​
Bombay High Court asks police to not give permission to use loudspeakers during Mahim Urs Two months ago, the Bombay High Court had issued contempt notices to Mahim police station officers for allowing the use of loudspeakers during the Mahim Dargah's annual Urs. 
Vidya 
Mumbai, June 13, 2017 | UPDATED 20:55 IST 

Bombay High Court.Shilvan Dhavale, Assistant Commissioner of Police in Mahim and Milind Idekar, senior inspector of Mahim Police Station today tendered an unconditional apology for giving permission to use loudspeakers at Mahim dargah during the Urs. Senior advocate Rafiq Dada appearing before the Bombay High Court in the case said that the officers had recently joined the police station and that "the ACP had joined only two-three months ago."
Two months ago, the Bombay High Court had issued contempt notices to Mahim police station officers for allowing the use of loudspeakers within the police station compound during the Mahim Dargah's annual Urs festivities. 
Mahim Dargah is located near the police station and the Urs procession begins right from inside the police compound. There were loudspeakers put up across Mahim and inside the police station as well, for the festival. The permission for the usage of loudspeakers is given by police for the festival and Awaaz Foundation had measured the decible levels that went beyond permissible levels in a residential area. 
The court was irked by the fact that law enforcers themselves were violating the laws so blatantly.
CONTEMPT PETITION 
The division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Vibha Kankanwadi accepted the apology from the police officers. However, the court refused to immediately dismiss the contempt petition against them. "Unless we have an assurance from the Maharashtra government we will have to keep the contempt petition against the officers," said Justice Oka. The lawyer for petitioner Awaaz Foundation too supported this saying that they do not want to disrupt anyone's career.
An advocate representing the Maharashtra government told the court that subsequently the state government did issue a circular asking the police station oficers not to issue permission for use of loudspeakers for the festival. 
The court went through the cicular and said, "You have tried to be as vague as possible in this circular. What is the dificulty in saying that henceforth the permission shouild not be granted?" 
The court will further hear the case in few weeks from now.


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​
Noise control: New policy to make Maharashtra a quieter place by AugustMumbai city news: Maharashtra pollution control board to direct authorities to reduce noise from traffic, construction, after a study this monthMUMBAI Updated: Jun 08, 2017 16:47 IST
Badri Chatterjee 
Hindustan Times
(HT Photo)
In a first, Maharashtra’s pollution control board will be issuing a policy to control traffic and construction noise across the state. The policy is in the drafting stage and will be released in August, said officials. 
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is currently carrying out a noise mapping study in Mumbai and other districts which will be completed in June. 
Once the results from the study are available, MPCB will issue directions to various government bodies and the police to reduce noise pollution. “There is an extensive noise mapping exercise underway across Mumbai and similarly at cities such as Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and a few other major cities. We are mapping noise levels on a working day and non-working day,” said P Anbalagan, member secretary, MPCB. “Once the data is collated, we will identify the noisiest locations on the basis of – residential, commercial, industrial and silence zones, and which areas are exposed to maximum noise coming from traffic or construction.” 
Traffic and construction noise are the top sources of noise pollution in Mumbai with decibel levels as high as 110 dB (as loud as concert) and 107 dB (as loud as a power saw). According to World Health Organisation (WHO), noise levels are acceptable to a limit of 70dB to the human ear and continuous exposure to higher decibel levels more than 70dB can lead to hearing loss.
HOW NOISE POLLUTION AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH

• Annoyance
• Aggression
• Hypertension
• Increase in blood pressure
• High-stress levels
• Hearing loss
• Sleep disturbance
• Depression
• Panic attacks(Source: Dr Ashwini Kumar Mehta, ear-nose-throat (ENT) specialist, Seven Hills Health Hospital in Andheri)

Anbalagan added that once the blueprint of the noise problems in the city was ready, municipal corporations, district collectors, police, agencies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) etc. will be issued directives to install noise abatement measures. “Noise reducing measures such as developing adequate green cover, sound-barriers and setting up acrylic sheets will be suggested at noisy traffic junctions, all silence zones such as schools and hospitals, and construction sites in the city,” he said. 
Experts said that citizens need to be cautious about the exact guidelines of the policy. “There have been a number of policy statements from the state government diluting noise rules in various locations in the past,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. “I hope the policy makes noise rules more stringent and the implementation better. So long as the intention is to recognise that noise is a serious health problem, activists will be all for it.” 
Meanwhile, anti-noise activists welcomed the move calling it a positive development. “After introducing the issue of noise pollution in Mumbai as early as 1984, it is good to know that at least three decades later a policy is being charted out to control the problem,” said Yeshwant Oke, who registered the first case in Mumbai against noise pollution at the Bombay High Court. “I am optimistic that society is moving in the right direction. Authorities who had been docile all this while are gradually taking cognisance of the issue.”
Dr Mahesh Bedekar, an anti-noise campaigner from Thane, said the state was forced to act on noise pollution. “Pressure from citizens, courts, activists and media has played a huge role in making this a reality. The state government should have done this long ago but it has taken over two decades to make this pertinent issue across Maharashtra,” he said. “Now, the government needs to ensure noise is reduced and citizens need not go to the courts to highlight the smallest of issues.”
Noise rules
According to Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, residential and silence zones — areas around schools, hospitals and religious shrines — should have a maximum noise level of 55dB and 50dB in the day and 45dB and 40dB at night.

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Noise control: New policy to make Maharashtra a quieter place by AugustMumbai city news: Maharashtra pollution control board to direct authorities to reduce noise from traffic, construction, after a study this monthMUMBAI Updated: Jun 08, 2017 16:47 IST
Badri Chatterjee 
Hindustan Times

In a first, Maharashtra’s pollution control board will be issuing a policy to control traffic and construction noise across the state. The policy is in the drafting stage and will be released in August, said officials. 
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is currently carrying out a noise mapping study in Mumbai and other districts which will be completed in June. 
Once the results from the study are available, MPCB will issue directions to various government bodies and the police to reduce noise pollution. “There is an extensive noise mapping exercise underway across Mumbai and similarly at cities such as Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and a few other major cities. We are mapping noise levels on a working day and non-working day,” said P Anbalagan, member secretary, MPCB. “Once the data is collated, we will identify the noisiest locations on the basis of – residential, commercial, industrial and silence zones, and which areas are exposed to maximum noise coming from traffic or construction.” 
Traffic and construction noise are the top sources of noise pollution in Mumbai with decibel levels as high as 110 dB (as loud as concert) and 107 dB (as loud as a power saw). According to World Health Organisation (WHO), noise levels are acceptable to a limit of 70dB to the human ear and continuous exposure to higher decibel levels more than 70dB can lead to hearing loss.
HOW NOISE POLLUTION AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH

• Annoyance
• Aggression
• Hypertension
• Increase in blood pressure
• High-stress levels
• Hearing loss
• Sleep disturbance
• Depression
• Panic attacks(Source: Dr Ashwini Kumar Mehta, ear-nose-throat (ENT) specialist, Seven Hills Health Hospital in Andheri)

Anbalagan added that once the blueprint of the noise problems in the city was ready, municipal corporations, district collectors, police, agencies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) etc. will be issued directives to install noise abatement measures. “Noise reducing measures such as developing adequate green cover, sound-barriers and setting up acrylic sheets will be suggested at noisy traffic junctions, all silence zones such as schools and hospitals, and construction sites in the city,” he said. 
Experts said that citizens need to be cautious about the exact guidelines of the policy. “There have been a number of policy statements from the state government diluting noise rules in various locations in the past,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. “I hope the policy makes noise rules more stringent and the implementation better. So long as the intention is to recognise that noise is a serious health problem, activists will be all for it.” 
Meanwhile, anti-noise activists welcomed the move calling it a positive development. “After introducing the issue of noise pollution in Mumbai as early as 1984, it is good to know that at least three decades later a policy is being charted out to control the problem,” said Yeshwant Oke, who registered the first case in Mumbai against noise pollution at the Bombay High Court. “I am optimistic that society is moving in the right direction. Authorities who had been docile all this while are gradually taking cognisance of the issue.”
Dr Mahesh Bedekar, an anti-noise campaigner from Thane, said the state was forced to act on noise pollution. “Pressure from citizens, courts, activists and media has played a huge role in making this a reality. The state government should have done this long ago but it has taken over two decades to make this pertinent issue across Maharashtra,” he said. “Now, the government needs to ensure noise is reduced and citizens need not go to the courts to highlight the smallest of issues.”
Noise rules
According to Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, residential and silence zones — areas around schools, hospitals and religious shrines — should have a maximum noise level of 55dB and 50dB in the day and 45dB and 40dB at night.

•  e-paper

Mumbai, hear this: London’s noisiest hospital doesn’t make as much noise as city’s quietest 
Study finds neighbourhood of The London Clinic, their loudest, is less noisy than area around Lilavati, city’s quietest
MUMBAI Updated: May 24, 2017 09:49 IST
Badri Chatterjee 
Hindustan Times
Noise levels were above permissible limits outside hospitals, both at London and Mumbai.(HT)
The highest noise level recorded around a hospital in London is less than the lowest recorded near a hospital in Mumbai, a study revealed. 
The decibel (dB) levels recorded around six hospitals in central London in the second week of May saw a maximum reading of 88dB (as loud as constant ringing noise of a food blender) with traffic as the main source, city-based NGO Awaaz Foundation found. 
The NGO had carried out a similar study around six hospitals in the first week of May in Mumbai. The lowest reading was 95.1 dB — seven units more than the highest reading around a London hospital. 
The highest noise level around a Mumbai hospital was recorded at 100.5dB, which is as loud as a packed football stadium.
However, in both cases, noise levels were above permissible limits outside hospitals, both at London and Mumbai. 
“This tells us that noise levels are a problem all over the world. In London, they have tried to solve it by insulating some of the buildings, apart from keeping noise levels down at main roads by not honking,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation. 
“In Mumbai, however, we have not taken any of these actions,” she said.
The decibel level of the ambulance was also higher in Mumbai at 100dB compared to 94.4dB in London. In January this year, the state government approved Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray’s suggestion to increase the volume of ambulance sirens to 110-120 dB so that vehicles get the right-of-way through congested roads.
The World Health Organisation estimates that long term exposure to noise levels from 85db to 90db is enough to lead to hearing loss. According to physicists, a 10 dB increase in noise levels doubles the impact on hearing. 
Noise pollution not only leads to hearing loss, but can also damage other organs in the human body and can even lead to cardiac ailments. 
“Similar to Mumbai, the hospitals in London are also on busy roads. They have made some effort to minimise noise levels so that it does not affect people being treated at wards inside. However, we do not seem to have any such concerns in Mumbai, which we need,” said Abdulali.
Along with Abdulali, London resident Nigel Watts recorded noise levels at the London hospitals. “I have become increasingly concerned about noise especially in sensitive places such as hospitals and decided to measure the noise at six well known hospitals. We found decibel levels to be uncomfortable and higher than typical London levels. All the hospitals are located on busy roads and, in one case, next to a very busy junction,” he said. 
Watts added that noise levels inside the hospitals’ lobbies were lower but still uncomfortable. “Most London hospitals now have double glazed windows, so the noise levels in the wards are fortunately much lower than in the lobbies. 
The comparison with Mumbai hospitals was striking; noise levels there seem to be significantly higher than the already uncomfortable levels in London,” he said.

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