MPCB, CoEP to monitor noise levels at 25 locations in Pune on Visarjan day
Considering the noise pollution that takes place every year due to dhol-tasha pathaks and excessive use of disc-jockey (DJ) systems, this is an annual exercise for the MPCB and CoEP
While the city gears up to bid farewell to Ganpati Bappa on Tuesday, September 17, on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and College of Engineering Pune (CoEP) will carry out noise monitoring separately at 25 different locations with the MPCB monitoring noise levels across the city and the CoEP focusing on Lakshmi Road and the adjoining areas.
Considering the noise pollution that takes place every year due to dhol-tasha pathaks and excessive use of disc-jockey (DJ) systems, this is an annual exercise for the MPCB and CoEP. Furthermore, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently ordered that noise levels be monitored on Ganesh Visarjan (immersion) day.
J Salunkhe, regional officer, MPCB Pune, said, “The board will be monitoring noise levels at 15 locations with focus on the procession route. The locations can be increased further depending on the situation. The monitoring will be carried out between Tuesday 7 am and Wednesday 8 am. Our officers and the staff whom we have outsourced will be stationed at pre-decided locations and will monitor noise levels. If any of the mandals exceed the standard limit, our officers will intervene or inform police officials about it. If the mandal does not obey, we will carry on proceedings as per the NGT norms.”
Apart from the central parts of the city, noise monitoring will also be carried out in the suburban areas and in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Salunkhe said.
Mahesh Shindikar, head of the department of applied sciences and humanities, CoEP, said, “For over 15 years, we have been monitoring noise levels during the immersion procession as part of academic research. This year too, our students will be carrying out noise monitoring at 10 locations on Lakshmi Road and the adjoining areas.”
The authorities are focusing on areas such as Kothrud, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Camp, Kondhwa, Sahakarnagar and Swargate where noise levels are expected to be high. Pune Samvad, a citizens’ group, is encouraging people to note noise levels in their respective localities and register complaints on 112 so that action can be taken by the authorities.
Besides this, the police department too will be keeping an eye on noise levels during the immersion procession in various areas. G Shreedhar, deputy commissioner of police (special branch) earlier said that the department has enough instruments to monitor noise levels that are calibrated. He said they will try their best to comply with the NGT order.
Every year on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, hundreds of Ganesh mandals in the city participate in the grand immersion procession that passes through the heart of the city. The procession passes through major roads such as Lakshmi Road, Kelkar Road, Kumthekar Road and Tilak Road which connect to the river.
The procession begins in the morning at Lakshmi Road with the five Manache (most revered) Ganpati and other Ganesh mandals join throughout the day as it weaves its way through the city to the immersion site. Over the years, noise monitoring by the MPCB and CoEP has highlighted that both DJ systems and dhol-tasha pathaks accompanying the procession create noise way beyond the Central Pollution Control Board’s prescribed limit. Several guidelines have been issued by the Mumbai High Court and the NGT regarding controlling noise pollution during the Ganesh festival.
