Published On : Sat, Sep 24th, 2022

Nagpur HC notice to NMC, CP over permission to organise Garba in Ramdaspeth

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Nagpur: Admitting a writ petition filed by three aggrieved residents against holding of ‘Navratri Garba’ at Mor Hindi Upper Primary School run by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has issued notices to the State, the civic body, the Commissioner of Police and the event organisers Ramdaspeth Plot Owners and Residents Association.

The Court has also agreed for an urgent hearing on the matter on September 26. The petitioners, Pawan Shamsunder Sarda, Rahul Dalmiya, and Dr Shubhangi Satish Deshmane, all residents of Ramdaspeth, have moved the High Court against permission granted to the Ramdaspeth Plot Owners and Residents Association for organising ‘Navratri Garba’ at Mor Hindi Primary School ground run by the NMC.

Petitioners’ counsel Adv RM Bhangde has contended that the respondent plot owners were organising ‘Garba’ during ‘Navratri’ festival at the said venue every year. The event could not be held in the year 2020 and 2021 due to COVID19 restrictions. This year the organisers approached NMC and Police authorities to hold the event and received permission vide a communication dated September 21, 2022 to organise ‘Garba Dandiya’ with use of loudspeakers, DJ music system and amplifier.

The petitioners added that the permission was sought and granted against a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the organisers that the 2019 event would be the last programme with the use of loudspeaker, DJ music system and amplifier at the said playground. The counsel added that despite undertaking that the event would close at 10 pm, the respondent continued to hold the event in the past beyond the deadline with extremely loud noise beyond permissible limits.

The bench of Justice Sunil Shukre and Justice G A Sanap stated that it was necessary to grant an urgent hearing in the petition and issued notices to the respondents to come with their written submissions before the September 26 hearing.