The Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of noise pollution during the ongoing Ganesh festival and directed Maharashtra’s advocate general to submit details of enforcement action taken this year and last year. The court has scheduled an urgent hearing on Tuesday.
A bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Neela Gokhale called Advocate General Milind Sathe before the court began its regular work on Monday. The judges expressed concern over what they described as very high levels of noise pollution during Ganesh festival celebrations and immersion processions across the state.
The court’s intervention focuses on whether existing noise pollution rules are being followed at public celebrations, particularly during immersion processions. It has sought details on the permissible sound limits, whether any specific guidelines have been prepared for the festival period, and whether those guidelines are being implemented.
The bench has also asked the state to provide details of action taken against people or organisations that violated noise pollution rules during the current festival and during last year’s celebrations. The information is to be placed before the court at Tuesday’s hearing.
According to the report, the court made clear that its concern was not directed at any particular religion or festival. It said that while festivals could be celebrated, participants also had a responsibility to ensure that celebrations did not cause inconvenience to others.
The order places the enforcement of noise regulations at the centre of the festival-related proceedings. The questions before the state include how sound levels are monitored, what rules apply to public celebrations and processions, and whether violations lead to documented action.
The court’s focus on both the current and previous year’s records also requires the state to present a comparative account of enforcement. This could include the rules in force, the implementation process and action taken against violations, although the details have not yet been disclosed in the report.
Ganesh festival processions involve public streets and shared urban spaces, making noise regulation a matter of civic administration as well as festival management. The court’s direction seeks to establish whether the rules governing these spaces are being applied during one of the state’s largest public celebrations.
The advocate general is expected to submit the requested details at Tuesday’s hearing. The court will then consider the state’s account of sound regulations, their implementation and action taken during this year’s and last year’s festival periods.
