Organisers of the Shiv Sena’s yearly Dasara rally here were booked on Saturday for flouting norms related to decibel limits.
Every year, the party holds a rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, which is now a silence zone.
The party thus has to seek special permission for holding a rally. After the government refused permission this year, the Sena approached the Bombay High Court. The court allowed a rally on the condition that the party adhere to certain norms, including keeping the noise levels below 45 decibels.
“When we took an average, we found that the decibel levels were between 65 and 105. We, therefore, booked Divakar Borkar of the Shiv Sena, who had sought permission for the rally,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone V) Dhananjay Kulkarni told The Hindu . Mr. Borkar was booked under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act. “We have not yet arrested him. We will look into it and then decide about the arrest.”
Last year too, the police booked the rally organisers under the same Section for flouting the environmental laws. “The charge sheet is pending before the court in those matters. The matter is sub judice ,” Mr. Kulkarni said.
