Nagpur: Taking a stern view of the growing menace of noise pollution, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has demanded accountability from the police over the unchecked use of high-decibel mobile DJ vehicles during rallies and late-night processions. The court has directed the police to submit, by August 25, a detailed report on the action taken against vehicles violating prescribed noise limits.

The directions were issued by a Division Bench of Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Justice Nivedita Mehta while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bhupendra Wasnik, along with other petitions taken up suo motu by the court concerning noise pollution in the city.

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During the hearing, petitioner’s counsel Advocate Tushar Mandlekar highlighted the rampant use of mobile DJ vehicles generating excessive noise during rallies and public events. He informed the court that information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that despite repeated violations of prescribed noise standards, no action had been taken against such vehicles.

Taking serious note of the submissions, the High Court directed the police to furnish a comprehensive report detailing the action initiated against mobile DJ vehicles flouting noise pollution norms.

Videos of noise violations placed before court

The issue had also surfaced during an earlier hearing when Court Amicus Curiae Advocate Abdul Subhan informed the Bench about excessive noise generated during the Urs procession along the 4 to 4.5-km stretch from Central Avenue to Tajbagh. He also presented video evidence showing mobile DJ vehicles allegedly operating at extremely high sound levels on public roads.

The Bench observed the material with concern and reiterated its direction seeking a detailed action report from the police.

Construction noise also comes under scanner

The High Court also widened the scope of the proceedings by taking up the issue of noise pollution caused by construction activities across the city.

Petitioner’s counsel Advocate Ashutosh Dharmadhikari sought clarity on the regulations governing construction-related noise, including the permissible working hours and the mechanism for enforcing noise control norms.

The court directed the State Government to place on record the applicable rules, guidelines and enforcement measures relating to construction noise and explain how such pollution is being regulated.

Online complaints to be routed directly to police and MPCB

In a significant development, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation informed the court that complaints relating to noise pollution will now be integrated with the “Pollution-Free Nagpur Campaign.”

According to the District Collector, citizens can lodge complaints through the NMC’s online grievance portal. The complaints will be automatically forwarded to the concerned police authorities and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), enabling coordinated action. Citizens will also be able to track the status of their complaints online without approaching multiple departments.

While taking the affidavits filed by the District Collector and the NMC on record, the High Court sought details of the awareness campaigns undertaken to educate citizens about noise pollution laws and complaint mechanisms.

Police apologise over failure to measure noise levels

In a startling disclosure, the police admitted before the court that noise levels were not measured during a rally at Samvidhan Chowk because sound level meters were not available at the time.

In an affidavit, the police tendered an unconditional apology for the lapse and assured the court that, henceforth, sound level meters will be deployed at all permitted rallies, processions and public events. The police also undertook to initiate immediate action against organisers found violating prescribed noise limits.

The High Court’s strong observations underscore its determination to ensure strict enforcement of noise pollution laws and hold authorities accountable for protecting citizens from excessive and unlawful noise.