Dargah management committee steps in to check noise levels during Mahim Fair

MUMBAI: Increased awareness about noise pollution has not only spurred action at the district level, but efforts are being made even at the community level.
In one such initiative, the dargah management committee of Sufi saint Pir Makhdoom Mahimi has asked sandal committees to keep the decibel level of their musical instruments under the prescribed decibel limit during the 10-day (December 21-31) Mahim Mela or Fair.

The first sandal, accompanied by a procession of devotees, comes from the Mumbai police. This is followed by hundreds of other sandal processions. “We have asked sandal committees to keep the noise level under the permitted limit,” said Mahim Dargah’s managing trustee Sohail Khandwani.

Meanwhile, a group of locals have petitioned senior authorities, including the Mumbai police commissioner, demanding compliance of the Supreme Court order regarding noise level—55 db during daytime and 45 db in the night for residential areas, and 50 db (day) and 40 db (night) in silence zones.

Last year, on the first day of the Mahim Mela when the Mumbai police took out its sandal procession, the decibel level recorded was 117.3 db. “We are not against the mela or the devotion of people. Our only concern is ailing elders and children get disturbed,” said Farooque Dhala, a resident.