National Green Tribunal Orders Bhopal Collector, Sp To Act Against Noise Pollution

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Bhopal district collector and police officials to exercise their powers and take suitable action to control noise pollution.

Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) was also directed to periodically monitor noise levels, permissible timings, sound intensity, decibel assessment and noise mapping in residential and silence zones and submit a report within four weeks.

The NGT also directed the authorities concerned to immediately shut down, disconnect, ban, or regulate all such unauthorised and excessively loud traffic public announcement systems operating without valid permission, generating noise beyond prescribed decibel limits, or situated within a 100-metre radius of residential areas, commercial zones, courts, hospitals, educational institutions and silence zones.

Green activist Rashid Noor Khan had stated in his petition that Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL), traffic police department and other concerned government authorities had installed public announcement systems with excessive sound capacity at several traffic intersections and road junctions across the city.

According to the petition, recorded traffic messages, warning announcements and audio instructions are continuously broadcast throughout the day, and the volume of these transmissions is extremely loud, unbearable and harmful to health.

The petition further stated that these systems are no longer confined to traffic management purposes and their noise levels are severely affecting citizens' daily routines, mental peace and overall health.

Advocate Harshwardhan Tiwari, appearing for the petitioner, argued that such operations constituted a direct violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and Noise Pollution Rules, 2000.

He further argued that the public announcement systems were being operated near residential areas, commercial zones, courts, hospitals, educational institutions and other designated silence zones, where special controls on noise levels are mandated under Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules.