SHOs told to remove loudspeakers from religious places in Jalandhar

In order to check noise pollution, the station house officers (SHOs) in the district have been directed to remove loudspeakers from religious places.

The move comes after the recent directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court which directed the state to ensure that religious body, including temples, mosques and gurdwara, do not play speakers without written permission from the authorities concerned.

The district police and commissionarate police on Wednesday issued directions to all its SHOs to strictly implement the orders and directed them to hold meetings with religious heads and seek their help in executing the order. The directives said that violators will be dealt sternly under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 and IPC sections.

Besides, it has been decided that no loudspeakers will be permitted 15 days before the annual examinations in the district.

There are 355 gurdwaras, 254 temples, 39 churches and 25 mosques in the Jalandhar city besides over 700 religious places in rural areas of the district.

Deputy commissioner (DC) Varinder Kumar Sharma also held a meeting with additional deputy commissioner Jasbir Singh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Arun Saini, sub divisional magistrates Amit Kumar, Rahul Sindu and Vineet Kumar and other administration officials in this regard.

As per the guidelines of the high court the loudspeakers must not be used during the prohibited hours (between 10pm and 6am). Religious places have to take written permission to use loudspeakers, even when the loudspeakers were to be used, except the prohibited hours, it must be less than 10 decibel at public places and less than five decibels at private places.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Navjot Singh Mahal and DCP Saini said that SHOs have been directed to implement the court’s directions in letter and spirit.