Bombay HC orders state government to strictly implement noise control norms

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court (HC) on April 25, declared its decision on a petition filed by Awaaz Foundation on the implementation of suggestions to curb violation of noise norms in the city. A bench of Justices Abhay Oka and MS Sanklecha ordered the state government to issue directions to all the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to implement the suggestions on honking, pandals and construction sites to reduce violation of noise norms.

Ishwar Nankhani, Advocate for Awaaz Foundation, submitted the suggestions to the Bombay High Court. Awareness of honking laws, setting up noise-reducing panels at construction sites, seizing vehicles with noisy horns were few of the suggestions mentioned in the file reported to HC.

To control the attributing noise from vehicular traffic to honking, foundation suggested that heavy fines should be imposed for continue honking and traffic police should seize the vehicles with noisy horns. Regional Transport Office (RTO) should cancel the issued registration certificates to vehicles with broken engines or silencers; traffic and police departmentsshould conduct joint drives, along the lines of pollution-under-control drives, to remove high decibel horns.License applicants must be trained about honking norms.To avoid late night illegal bike races and to control flouting of noise norms, heavy fines should be levied on the defaulters.To reduce the noise at construction sites, civil engineers should use pre-cut materials for the construction site orcutting should be done indoors and acoustic noise barriers should be installed which help reduce noise levels by 15-17 decibels.

Suggestions regarding curbing illegal pandals and putting up of temporary booths on the road include setting a time-frame for application for permission; noting applicant details; verification of past records of the applicant; and sensitisationprogrammes for police and civic officials on laws relating to noise and pandals. The suggestions also state measures to tackle dismantling and clearing of solid waste from pandal sites.