Thane | September 10, 2026 — Citizens must organise and raise complaints against noise pollution and unauthorised mandaps for these issues to receive sustained attention, social activist Dr Mahesh Bedekar said at a seminar in Thane on Wednesday. The discussion focused on noise pollution, public-road encroachments and the enforcement of directions issued by the Bombay High Court.
The seminar was organised at the TMC Law College of Vidya Prasarak Mandal. Ravindra Pajankar, secretary of the Thane District Legal Services Authority; Dr Bedekar; Dwarka Dhoke, police inspector at Thane Nagar Police Station; and Yasin Tadvi, head of the Thane Municipal Corporation’s disaster management cell, attended the programme.
Speaking at the event, Bedekar said ordinary citizens often hesitate to complain because they fear intimidation. He said that issues such as noise pollution would not be resolved unless residents collectively raise their voices. According to him, when citizens act together and keep an issue in public discussion, political leaders also change their positions.
Pajankar referred to the fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens under the Constitution and spoke about what he described as the right to peace. He said that enjoyment must remain within the legal framework when it causes a disturbance to another person’s peace.
The seminar also examined various directions issued by the Bombay High Court in the context of a public-interest litigation filed by Bedekar. Bedekar described the reasons for filing the petition and its subsequent proceedings before the participants. He called for the court’s directions emerging from the petition to be implemented strictly.
Bedekar said opposition to DJs, loudspeakers or mandaps erected in violation of rules on public roads is sometimes met with unrelated arguments instead of a response to the specific concern. He said he enjoys festivals but also has a responsibility to ensure that celebrations do not inconvenience other people.
The discussion took place against the backdrop of public disputes over the use of loudspeakers and the installation of temporary structures during festivals. Bedekar also referred to this year’s Dahi Handi celebrations, saying that some activities carried out in the name of culture were not acceptable to everyone.
The participants included representatives connected with legal services, policing and municipal disaster management. The seminar’s organisers and speakers called for citizens to come forward in greater numbers on issues involving noise pollution and unauthorised mandaps.
