A public seminar on noise pollution, unauthorised mandaps and the legal framework governing public events is scheduled in Thane on Wednesday, September 9, as the debate over loud music and DJ use during festivals expands beyond Pune.
The seminar, titled “Public Events, Unauthorised Mandaps and Noise Pollution — The Legal Framework”, will be held at 4 p.m. on the premises of the Thane TMC Law College at Vidya Prasarak Mandal, on Chendani Bandar Road. The programme is being organised by Thane TMC Law College and its Legal Aid Centre.
The event comes after a recent campaign in Pune over noise pollution during public festivals. Citizens in Pune had reportedly organised a march seeking a ban on DJs, while similar demands were also being raised in other parts of Maharashtra. The Thane programme is expected to bring residents and officials together to discuss the legal and administrative dimensions of the issue.
Ravindra Pajankar, secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, will deliver the opening address. Dr Mahesh Bedekar, who has previously petitioned the Bombay High Court on noise pollution regulation, will speak on the reasons for, achievements of and expectations from public interest litigation.
According to the report, Bedekar filed a petition in 2010 seeking a regulatory framework for controlling noise pollution. The Bombay High Court subsequently issued significant orders in 2012 and 2016. The report does not specify the provisions of those orders, but states that restrictions continue to face implementation problems during several public festivals.
The programme will also include presentations from local police and municipal officials. Bharat Chaudhary, senior police inspector at Thane Nagar Police Station, will discuss cooperation between the police system and citizens. Yasin Tadvi, head of the Thane Municipal Corporation’s disaster management department, will address disaster management and citizen cooperation.
The event’s focus extends beyond decibel levels to the permissions and responsibilities associated with public events. The inclusion of unauthorised mandaps places festival infrastructure, civic approvals and enforcement within the same discussion as sound regulation. The programme is therefore expected to address how residents, organisers, police authorities and the municipal administration interact when public celebrations affect surrounding neighbourhoods.
Dr Vinod Wagh, vice-principal of the law college, will deliver the introductory remarks. Dr Srividya Jayakumar, the college principal, will preside over the concluding session. The organisers have described the programme as both a special discussion session and a public-awareness campaign.
