On the directions of the Allahabad High Court regarding ensuring implementation of Noise Pollution Control Rules, Uttar Pradesh government has issued a fresh guidelines to all the districts officials giving detailed instructions with emphasis that noise level should be under the prescribed level.
State principal secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar, who issued the Government Order (GO) on January 5, told media persons on Sunday that the G.O. requires survey of loudspeakers permanently installed, issuannce of show cause notice to one’s without requisite permission, format for applying for permission, format for issuance of permission and action against those who neither apply for permission nor comply with terms and conditions of permission.
The new directives also require DMs to categorise areas into Industrial, Commercial, Residential and Silence Zones. Each area has separate maximum limits for permissible sound levels.
The loudspeaker installed on public places cannot have sound level more than 10 dB above ambient noise level at the periphery of a public place and 5 dB above ambient noise level at the periphery of a private place. This practically implies that sound should not go beyond the periphery of the public or private place.
The GO was issued in view of the HC directive on December 20 last on a Writ petition(civil) 24981/2017 Moti Lal Yadav vs State of UP and Others. The Court had asked the UP government whether the loudspeakers or public address systems installed at mosques, temples, churches, gurdwaras etc. were installed after obtaining a written permission from the authorities concerned.
The Lucknow bench of the high court had sought to know as to what action has been taken against such unauthorised installations and also against the officers who failed to ensure mandatory requirement of obtaining written permission in their area.
The UP government would have to place all the documents and other files before the court on January 22 next giving details about the action taken. Reiterating that right to live in freedom from noise pollution and right to sleep being a facet of Article 21 of the Constitution, the bench cautioned the officials to appear in person before it, if their personal affidavits were not filed till the next hearing.
Kumar said: “On the directions of the court regarding ensuring implementation of noise pollution control rules, a government order giving detailed instructions has been issued. This practically implies that sound should not go beyond the periphery of the public or private place”.