Police have started cracking whip against the use of cone-shaped speakers in the places of worship across the district and by the political parties by registering 48 cases in this connection since the use of loudspeakers violates a ruling by the Supreme Court.
Though the Supreme Court, through its verdict on July 18, 2005, banned the use of cone speakers that cause noise pollution beyond all tolerable levels, it is still being used invariably in all places of worship across Tamil Nadu. The menace would cross even the intolerable levels for several days during festivals being celebrated in temples, churches and mosques.
When the Madras High Court heard a Public Interest Litigation in last November – 11 years after the Supreme Court’s ruling - seeking the strict implementation of the Supreme Court verdict pertaining to the ban on cone speakers, the State Government informed the Court that a Government Order in compliance with the apex court’s orders would be issued in 15 days.
However, none of the government’s arm is interested in executing the Supreme Court’s order that banned use of cone speakers and air-horns in automobiles. Consequently, the children, aged and the sick are getting affected seriously due to the noise pollution by cone speakers even as the government agencies are just silently watching it.
Against this backdrop, the Superintendent of Police P Ve Arunshakthikumar, through the Deputy Superintendents of Police and Inspectors of the police stations across the district, took the lead in getting the cone-speakers removed from the places of worship. Holding meetings with the local leaders attached to places of worship, the police told them in clear terms that the cone-speakers, as per the Supreme Court’s ruling, should be removed.
Though the representatives from the places of worship initially showed reluctance and even resisted in some places, they were just asked to comply with the Supreme Court’s order or face action. When the order was violated by the political parties and during the festivals organised in the places of worship, the police have registered 48 cases against the violators.
“However, no stringent action has been taken against the violators. Registration of case alone will not put an end to this problem. Seizure of cone-speakers, registration of case, taking the violators to the court of law and ensuring the conviction of the violators in the court alone will effectively translate the Supreme Court’s order into action and uproot this menace,” said retired principal and social activist V. Ponnuraj, who is also the president of Confederation of Palayamkottai Residents’ Welfare Associations.
