Nagpur: Residents of Ramdaspeth have approached the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, requesting that authorities be directed not to grant permission for Garba events during Navratri 2024 in their area. They argue that the Dandiya festivities during the nine-day celebration violate noise regulations and have asked the court to declare the Mor Hindi Upper Primary School ground in Ramdaspeth a silent zone. This would prevent the use of loudspeakers and music systems for the Garba events, according to the petitioners.
The residents are in conflict with the Ramdaspeth Plot Owners and Residents Association, which organizes the Garba event each year. The petitioners claim that the high-decibel music disturbs the peace in the predominantly residential area. The petition, filed in the Nagpur Bench, references a recent Supreme Court judgment that disposed of the Association’s Special Leave Petition (SLP) from last year without any specific observations. The residents now seek to challenge last year’s court orders that allowed the Garba event to take place.
The petition has been filed by Pawan Sarda, along with Dr. Shubhangi Deshmane, Sanyogita Dhanwatay, Rahul Dalmiya, Anurag Saraf, Varun Bajaj, and Nimish Sutaria. The respondents include the Secretary of the Department of Home, the Secretary of the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Secretary of the Urban Development Department of Maharashtra, the Commissioner of Police, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, the Municipal Commissioner, the Ramdaspeth Plot Owners and Residents Association, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
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Tuesday 21 Jan. 2025
The residents are particularly aggrieved by the authorities for allegedly ignoring the Noise Rules of 2000, which limit permissible noise levels in residential areas. Despite these regulations, permission has been granted for the Garba event, where DJs and high-volume speakers are used continuously for nine days.
The petitioners also cited an undertaking from 2023, which stated that last year’s Garba event at the Mor School ground would be the final one at that venue. They have, therefore, requested the High Court to direct the authorities not to grant permission for the Garba event in Ramdaspeth this year.
