Karnataka issues draft notification classifying areas on noise-level basis

BENGALURU: The Government of Karnataka, on Thursday, September 19, told the Karnataka High Court that it has issued a draft notification on September 12 declaring that the 100 m of area surrounding the hospitals, educational institutions and courts as “silence zone” across the State as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.

The State government also said that it has permitted the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to purchase 125 sound meters and the Bengaluru police to purchase 108 sound meters worth ₹3 lakh each to monitor noise levels as prescribed under the rules.

While hearing of PIL petitions relating to noise pollution by pubs in Indiranagar, the Karnataka government made its submissions, as the High Court questioned failure of the government to categorise areas based on noise level and notification of silent zones.

The government further informed the court that a separate draft notification has been issued on September 12 classifying the areas on the basis of noise levels as industrial, commercial and residential zones.

Post going through the notifications, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Mohammad Nawaz, directed the State to publish the final notification within two months after considering objections and suggestions from the public. Also, the bench asked the government to rectify certain errors in the draft notification.