The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that called for a comprehensive ban on the sale and use of loudspeakers and sound systems exceeding legal noise limits during festivals. The court instructed the petitioner, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, a social service organization, to address their concerns directly with the relevant authorities.
Presided over by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar, the court noted that speculative inquiries into possible violations of prior orders without substantial evidence do not warrant judicial intervention. The petition had argued for the enforcement of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, citing excessive noise levels recorded during the 2023 Ganesh festival in Pune. According to a report from the College of Engineering, Pune, average noise levels in residential areas spiked to about 101.3 decibels, far exceeding the permissible daytime and nighttime limits of 55 and 45 decibels, respectively.
In addition to noise concerns, the PIL also highlighted the emerging use of potentially harmful laser light beams during festival celebrations, claiming several cases of permanent eyesight loss. The court acknowledged the lack of specific regulations governing such laser usage and advised the petitioner to make a detailed representation to the Maharashtra government for potential action.
