Letter to Chief Minister Maharashtra Shri Prithviraj Chavan Janmashthami

Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Prithviraj Chavan,
Home Minister of Maharashtra Shri R. R Patil,
Director General of Police Shri Ahmad Javed
Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Shri Satyapal Singh,
Commissioner of Police, Thane Shri  K. P. Raghuvanshi.
 
Subject: Political sponsoring of dangerous and harmful festivals violating noise pollution rules and causing severe injury and death; assault by policemen of Shri Pradeep Indulkar.
 
We strongly protest the physical violence on Shri Pradeep Indulkar, noise activist in Thane, allegedly by a policeman at a police station where he went to report noise violations during the Janmashthami Festival. While the dangers of making complaints during politically sponsored events are well known, the nexus between such illegal political functions and the Police has never been more clearly highlighted.
 
This year, the peak level at one of the politically sponsored Dahi Handis reached 106.8 dB and other Dahi Handis also reached dangerous noise levels which can cause permanent damage to hearing, specially in infants, and also cause other serious health effects including mental illness, high blood pressure, heart disease etc. A school for deaf children in Mumbai reports 10 children who went deaf because of exposure to loud noise in infancy. Students who may have crucial exams may not be able to concentrate and would therefore lose out on their entire future career paths due to noise in their area at the wrong time.
 
The festival of Janmasthami has also become increasingly dangerous for participants after politicians have started organizing huge events and giving out crores in prize money to attempt dangerously high pyramids, without any safety measures. Typically, children are at the top of these pyramids. A number of deaths and life altering injuries including paralysis are reported every year after Janmasthami. The pleasure taken by crowds of people, playing of Bollywood music and cheering while children fall and often get paralyzed or die are almost akin to barbaric Roman practices. Such practices are also very far from any traditional Indian practice, which encouraged innocent celebrations within smaller communities and homes and did not dabble with crores in prize money and display of political power to subvert the law of the land and disregard High Court and Supreme Court Orders.
 
We appeal to you to take serious note of the assault on Pradeep Indulkar by a policeman and to investigate the links between this unwarranted attack and the complaint he had come to file against politicians organizing functions which violated laws and court orders.
 
Thank you and with regards.
 
Sumaira Abdulali
Awaaz Foundation
31st August 2013
Report on Noise levels Mumbai Janmashthami 29th August 2013
Time
Place
Db(A)
Zone
Comments

11.52pm
Next to Mount Carmel Church
82.6 dB
Silence Zone
Loudspeakers

11.54pm
Next to Sea Link Exit Bandra
83 dB
 
Loudspeakers

12.30 – 1.15 pm
Ghatkopar
84 dB
peak level 106.8 dB
 
Organized by Ram Kadam

2.30 – 3.30 pm
Dadar
82 dB
peak level 97 dB
 
Organized by Shiv Sena

6.10 pm
 
Jamboree Maidan
81 dB dB
peak level 96 dB
Silence Zone next to Shree Ambadevi Mandir
Organized by Sachin Ahir.

 
From facebook page  Citizens’ Noise Map and citizens’ complaints:
Time
Place
Db(A)
Zone
Comments

About 12 pm
Ranade Road Dadar
59.8 dB
 
presently noise level measured on ranade road dadar at location about 60 feet away from origin is 59.8 db with loudspeakers at two different location and at a time when the handis are being installed

About 3 pmpm
Panjrapol Deonar
82 dB
peak 90+
 
Panjrapol. Deonar. 82 Decibels. Peak 90+ 2.30 pm. (Govin

5 pm
Mohammed Raoji Chawl Dadar East
74 dB
peak level 106.3 dB
 
Date : 29.8.2013 Dahi kala
Time : 5.00 pm
Decibel level : 74 db
Location : Mohammed Raoji Chawl next to Satyagiri building, D. Phalke Road, Dadar(E), Mumbai 400014
Source of noise : Loudspeakers

5.15 pm
Matunga East
 
 
Citizens’ complaint

 
The total number of dahi handis seen in various areas were much less than last year and the decibel levels from the smaller handis was also greatly reduced. Police had equipment to measure decibel levels including noise meters and downloaded apps on their mobile phones. In Ghatkopar, the meters were switched off at the time of my visit. Noise at dahi handis organized by political leaders remained high; a Bollywood superstar visited two such politically organized locations with among the highest recorded noise levels.
Sumaira Abdulali
Awaaz Foundation
6 pm 29th August 2013
Report on Noise levels Thane Janmashthami 2013
LOCATIONS
 
 
 
 
9:00 A.M.
5:00 P.M.

GOKHALE ROAD
 
 
 
65 db
78 db

PANCHPAKHADI
 
 
 
55 db
88 db

TALAOPALI
 
 
 
 
65 db
85 db

RAHEJA
 
 
 
50 db
83 db

 
 
 
 
 

 
Dr. Mahesh Bedekar
29th August 2013
 
 
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