Fadnavis urges mandals to celebrate festivals under rules, assures them quick permissions Mumbai

​Jul 07 2017 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
Fadnavis urges mandals to celebrate festivals under rules, assures them quick permissions 
Mumbai
TIMES NEWS NETWORK 


Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday called upon a meeting with mandals, celebrating Ganpati and Dahi Handi, and appealed to celebrate the festivals with gusto and in traditional manner while adhering to the guidelines. He also assured delegations of Ganpati Mandal Smanvay Samiti and the BJP Mumbai unit that he will peruse the silent zone issue with the Centre so that mandals in silent zone can get permission to celebrate festivals within the sound limits.Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshostav Samanvay Samiti president Naresh Dahibavkar said that chief minister was positive on the issues raised by mandals and in structed officials to come up with an ordinance regarding issuing permissions, without delay. “We already adhere to time deadlines and sound limits. However, the government should issue permis sions to mandals that are celebrating festival since the time when there were no hospitals or educational institutes around,“ said Dahibavkar.
Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar, in a statement issued here, said that CM have agreed to issue an ordinance regarding issuing permissions to Ganpati mandals to celebrate festivals without hassle.
Anti-noise pollution activist Sumaira Abdulali said, “The state has given an undertaking in the high court that it will not allow loudspeakers in silent zones. The state is bound by this undertaking. However, it is if the state is making make exemptions for mandals, when it should be spreading awareness about the ill-effects of noise on health.“ 
Sena backs mandals on noise pollution issue 
The Shiv Sena is all set to back the city's Govinda-Ganesha outfits on the noise pollution issue, triggering yet another round of confrontation with the Devendra Fadnavis regime in the run up to the festival season.
Pointing out that the city's festival mandals are slated to meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday to discuss issues pertaining to security, law and order and noise pollution during the upcoming festival, Thackeray said, “The Sena will go ahead with its plan if talks with the chief minister yield no positive result.“
“On the eve of festivals, the government raises issues such as terrorism and environment. Red alert is promulgated right in the middle of festivities. As a result, the Hindu community celebrates festivals under duress. The government should come up with a final solution to these problems,“ he added. Thackeray was talkingto mediapersons after inaugurating the Sena's Nariman Point headquarters on Wednesday.
The BJP is keen on poaching on the Sena-backed Govinda-Ganesha mandals, especially in the Marathi-dominated pocketboroughs.--Ambarish Mishra