Police to crack down on revelry noise

Green Tribunal orders confiscation of cars fitted with unauthorised DJ systems

Police stand guard at the Gateway of India ahead of the new year's eve in Mumbai on Tuesday.

In a bid to control the rise in decibel levels during New Year’s Eve celebrations, the National Green Tribunal has directed the authorities to crack down on vehicles playing mobile DJ systems. The officials have been directed to confiscate such vehicles.

“Mobile DJ systems, which are being operated without the permission of RTOs, shall not be allowed to be used at any other place and the authorities are free to take appropriate action including confiscation of such vehicles, if so required,” a Bench of the NGT’s western zone ruled recently. The western zone is situated in Pune.

The tribunal was hearing an application seeking interim relief regarding noise pollution between 10 p.m. and midnight on New Year eve. “We have filed an application seeking a policy framework for restrictions on the use of firecrackers in the country. But we sought interim relief regarding New Year celebrations, as decibel levels go up very high during that period,” advocate Asim Sarode, representing petitioner Ravindra Bhusari, told The Hindu from Pune.

According to the order, the Inspector-General of Police has been directed to instruct the traffic police to monitor vehicles during New Year celebrations. Vehicles fitted with mobile DJ systems and which have not been pre-tested will have to be identified and prevented from plying.

CCTV monitoring

The tribunal has said the police could use footage from CCTVs installed in various parts of the cities to monitor and identify such vehicles.

“There is no denying the fact that general public members [will] work up a frenzy during the evening of 31st December, 2014, to welcome New Year and create unbearable sound/noise through various means. The real question is how to arrest such a menace. The police may initially warn groups of people creating excessive noise on the streets,” observed the Bench of Justice V.R. Kingaonkar and Ajay Deshpande.

The Bench said: “We direct that mobile vehicles mounted with DJ systems or similar music systems creating sound in decibels exceeding permissible limits, which are not tested at the source by the RTOs, shall be disallowed to be operated and plied on the road, by the RTOs, and traffic police. They may be identified through CCTVs operating in the city or by the traffic police, who may contact each other through the control room. The Inspector-General of Police shall give instructions to the traffic police accordingly.”