Mumbai: Another event, another level of noise pollution

On Sunday Mohammed Ali Road near Sir JJ Hospital recorded the highest noise level in the city during EideMilad procession at 1163 decibel dB This has crossed the earlier highest noise level recorded during the processions which was 1136 dB in the same area in 2015The foundation also recorded noise levels at Byculla at 1125 dB which too was higher than previous yearsAntinoise pollution crusader and convenor of Awaaz Foundation Sumaira Abdulali sent the noise report to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Commissioner of Mumbai Police Vivek Phansalkar She has sought appropriate action against noise rules violations As per Supreme Court and Bombay High Court orders maximum zonewise permissible noise levels are required to be maintained at all times and religion is not a ground for violation of the rules Abdulali saidAwaaz Foundationrsquos Sumaira Abdulali with a sound meter during the processionShe added ldquoThe highest noise level recorded was 1163 dB at Mohammed Ali Road near JJ hospital The DJ stereo sound system that was being played had mixers amplifiers and loudspeakers mounted on decorated trucks Police have banned such DJ systems and even the high court has refused to stay the police order So the use of this sound system was in gross violation of the rulesrdquoAlso Read Mumbai CM Eknath Shindersquos Dussehra rally creates grand mess on MU campusExperts and anti noise pollution activists have voiced concerns about blatant violations of noise rules this year during every festival This year noise levels from processions on Anant Chaturdashi the final day of Ganpati immersion reached preCOVID levels too This year the highest noise level was recorded at 1202 dB near Royal Opera House junction that too past midnightldquoThere was a slight dip in noise levels during festivals and processions for the past couple of years which made us hopeful This reduced even further in the past two years of COVID19 pandemic However this year the noise levels had increased and even surpassed prepandemic levels It felt like there was a competition to be the louder onerdquo Abdulali saidActivist Dr Mahesh Bedekar who has filed various petitions against the increasing noise pollution in Thane and Mumbai said ldquoThe noise levels increased because a wrong message has reached people from the government and local bodies this year As COVID cases declined this year and things opened up it was publicised as lsquoNirbandhmukt Utsavrsquo unrestricted celebration It was the governmentrsquos responsibility to clarify that only COVIDrelated restrictions were relaxed and that the rules pertaining noise pollution etc were not This coupled with the frenzy of celebrating events after two years people were unhindered resulting in rising noise levelsrdquoldquoIf the state government continues to be lenient our yearslong efforts will be futile These antinoise pollution campaigns are not for the benefits of the activists but are in public interestrdquo he addedNoise levels during EideMilad over yearsDecember 20171052 dBDockyard RoadNovember 20181053 dBMazgaonOctober 2020661 dBNagpada CircleOctober 20211097 dBMohammed Ali RoadOctober 2022Near JJ Mohammed Ali RoadEffects of noise pollution and the rulesHealth hazardNoise Pollution can cause hearing loss as well as have an impact on mental health and heart conditions As per medical studies it affects every single organ of the body The elderly infants and people suffering from illnesses are the most affected by itRulesThe Noise Pollution Rules were passed in Parliament as part of the Environment Protection Act 1986 The decibel level restrictions derived from a World Health Organization Report ldquoCommunity Noiserdquo acknowledge the environmental harm caused by noise pollution and mandate the need to restrict them to within specified limitsThe Noise Pollution Rules and Statute have been upheld by the Supreme Court as a Constitutional right of citizens to enjoy peaceful life under Article 21As per the Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act violators can be sent to jail for up to five years and face a maximum penalty of R1 lakhNoise Pollution in MumbaiAs per Awaaz Foundation which has been measuring noise levels in Mumbai since 2002 it is a continuous hazard in the city due to traffic and other sources of noise However it is during festivals processions and rallies that the noise levels reach a highStudies and reports by the foundation has revealed that during festive seasons or political gathering the noise level range from 85 to 1237 dB which is detrimental to health