Even without DJs, this Ganpati is noisier in pockets than last year’s

MUMBAI: On the fifth Ganeshotsav immersion day (Gauri Visarjan), Worli Naka recorded the city’s highest noise level—112.6 decibels (dB)—as per measurements done by the NGO Awaaz Foundation. In all, 14 locations have been monitored, and noise levels found to be much beyond permissible limits even though DJs weren’t present (see graphic for noise limits and a description of the decibel scale) during celebrations.

The measured levels are already more than that recorded last year in the same locations around this time, though overall the city is less noisy than 2017 because the number of pandals have gone down owing to a host of reasons, including relocation owing to redevelopment. Nevertheless, there continue to be pockets where celebrations are as noisy as ever, if not noisier. In 2017, the highest noise level during Ganeshotsav was recorded in Worli on the seventh immersion day, at 111.5dB. The source of noise was DJs, drums and loudspeakers.

This year, Awaaz Foundation recorded noise levels at various places in the city between 8pm and midnight on Monday, when 79,447 idols were immersed across the city. According to the NGO, the worst noise sources were loudspeakers that amplified the sound of dhols, drums and banjos.

“Noise from even traditional instruments was very high and in spite of the ban on DJs, noise levels far exceeded permissible levels in residential areas. The government needs to regulate these. Several locations on the list are spots earlier notified as silence zones,” said Sumaira Abdulali, the foundation’s convener.

Ahead of the festival season, activists had raised concerns on the BMC notifying only 110 silence zones in the city, down from well over a 1,000 originally notified as such.