NGT order on noise pollution: Pune Police assure implementation, MPCB cites difficulties

While the Pune police have assured to implement the National Green Tribunal orders to control noise pollution during the Ganesh Festival, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board said it will be difficult to follow it as it was given at a short notice. The August 30 order of Western Zonal Bench of NGT has directed MPCB and police to ensure real-time noise monitoring at all Ganesh pandals and display the readings with permissible limits prominently at at least two locations, besides instructing authorities to limit dhol-tasha group to 30 members and ban on DJ and toll systems. Instructions will be given to zonal branches and police stations to implement noise pollution rules as per the NGT orders. Nikhil Pingle, deputy commissioner of police said, “We have covered three zones to monitor the noise data and are in the process add the remaining two.” The official said that FIR will be filed against violators under criminal and environmental laws.