Pune: Marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns in the city are required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Despite this, many establishments were neglecting to obtain this certificate, leading the MPCB to issue notices to 272 such establishments. Following this, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has now mandated the MPCB's NOC for the issuance of new licenses and the renewal of existing licenses for marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns.
Weddings held in marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns in Pune were causing significant noise pollution and other types of pollution. Taking note of this, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to take action in 2015. The MPCB formed a committee and prepared regulations for marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns.
According to these regulations, obtaining an NOC from the board was made mandatory. Subsequently, the board requested a list of registered marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns from the PMC. The PMC provided the list of all establishments on March 12, 2024.
The MPCB issued notices to 181 establishments on March 28, 2024, asking why action should not be taken against them. Later, on April 25, 2024, notices were issued to another 91 establishments. A total of 272 establishments in the city have received notices, and MPCB officials have also conducted on-site inspections of 69 of them.
“Despite the MPCB's action, marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns were still not obtaining the NOC. Therefore, the MPCB finally held a joint meeting with the PMC and the police on December 11th this year. In this meeting, it was decided that establishments that do not obtain the MPCB's NOC will not be granted new licenses or license renewals by the PMC,” Kartikeya Langote, Deputy Regional Officer, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board told Loksatta.
“Consequently, all marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns in the city will no longer be able to operate without the MPCB's No Objection Certificate. Marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns are required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). However, these establishments were avoiding obtaining it. Notices have been issued to all of them in this regard. The municipal corporation has also now made the MPCB's No Objection Certificate mandatory for new licenses or license renewals,” adde Langote.
Without a No Objection Certificate from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, no new licenses will be issued to marriage halls, auditoriums, and lawns. Their licenses will also not be renewed. The licenses of these establishments are renewed every year in March. At that time, they will have to submit the MPCB's No Objection Certificate” said Suryakant Devkar, Assistant Health Officer, Municipal Corporation.
