Pune: Noise And Light Pollution To Be Reviewed By Parliamentary Panel On September 9

https://x.com/Medha_kulkarni/status/2093159188197523565Pune: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change will review noise and light pollution across the country at a meeting on September 9, committee chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni said on Thursday.

The committee will examine existing norms, consult technical experts and, if required, recommend measures to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Kulkarni said the main concern was not the lack of rules but their implementation.

The review comes amid a debate in Pune over DJs and high-powered sound systems during festivals. Pune Police have restricted DJ systems and pressure horns and warned of action against violators. While some political leaders and Ganesh mandal activists have opposed the restrictions, residents have raised concerns over noise from DJs and dhol-tasha rehearsals.

“There are clear court directives and norms on noise pollution. The major problem is their implementation,” Kulkarni said. She stressed that the issue should be examined beyond Ganeshotsav and that noise levels during all festivals should be regulated while keeping public health in mind.

Kulkarni said festivals should not cause distress to patients, children and senior citizens. She urged organisers to follow court directives and prescribed decibel limits, saying Pune could set an example for Maharashtra by celebrating festivals responsibly.

She also recalled that Lokmanya Tilak started Ganeshotsav as a public festival to bring people together through lectures, cultural programmes, competitions and social awareness activities. Excessive DJ noise, vulgar songs and behaviour that disturbs residents, she said, do not reflect the festival’s original spirit.

“Ganeshotsav should not reach a stage where residents feel they have to leave their homes for 10 days. Everyone has the right to live in Pune. The festival should be celebrated in a deeply religious and dignified manner,” she said.

Kulkarni said she had raised the issue with senior police officials and supported efforts to keep Ganeshotsav free of DJs, while urging police to enforce the restrictions in a dignified manner. Around 200 Ganesh mandals have already agreed not to use DJs, and she appealed to others to follow suit.

The September 9 meeting will provide a wider platform to review noise and light pollution and assess whether existing measures need to be strengthened.