Police commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Thursday announced that the relaxation will be applicable on September 19, 20, 22, 23 and 25 and that on all other days of Ganeshotsav, loudspeakers will have to be switched off by 10 pm. Amid growing concerns over noise pollution during Ganeshotsav and demands for tighter restrictions on high-powered sound systems, the Pune police have allowed loudspeakers to be used till midnight on five days during this year’s Ganesh festival.
Whereas the police have capped the use of sound systems at four bass and four top speakers during festivals and public celebrations. As such, he welcomed the decision by several Ganesh mandals to voluntarily avoid plasma systems, pressure mids and laser lights during the festival. He also directed police officials to coordinate closely with Ganesh mandals on traffic management, crowd control and security arrangements. Police station in-charges have been asked to hold meetings with the mandals in their respective areas and take decisions through on-ground coordination. The police will also introduce a digital system for distributing passes for immersion processions and form separate committees for the Laxmi Road and Tilak Road processions.
Referring to the demonstrations carried out by the police in coordination with DJ associations and sound engineers, Kumar said that sound systems using plasma, pressure mids and walls comprising six to eight bass-top units could push noise levels beyond 100 to 105 decibels.
Kumar said that the midnight relaxation will be subject to compliance with prescribed noise pollution limits and warned that action will be taken against festival organisers found violating the norms. Kumar said that the limit will apply to all festivals, including Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav. On the major immersion procession routes, including Laxmi Road and Tilak Road, Kumar said that greater emphasis will be placed on the safe and smooth movement of processions rather than completing them within a fixed timeframe. Crowd management, prevention of stampedes and maintenance of law and order will remain the key priorities, he said.
