Given increased instances of sources causing noise pollution indiscriminately, Mrs Aashika Jain, the Deputy Commissioner SAS Nagar has taken serious note of the violations of existing orders of Punjab and Haryana High Court as per CWP 6213 passed on 22.7.2019 and The Noise Pollution Regulation and control) rules 2000.
Divulging the details, she further said that a committee involving senior officials and officers of concerned departments has been constituted at the district level as well as sub-division level to keep check on damaging practices effectively as per the action plan. There will be regular checks by Thana (Police Station) level teams during early morning hours. Violations and actions taken will be reported by the Nodal Officers i.e. SDO PPCB daily.She further said that to implement the action plan prepared to cope with the Noise Pollution, strict instructions have been issued to ensure compliance with the orders. A monthly review of the progress of activities for the control of noise pollution in District Level Meetings will be done. Besides, orders under Section 144 are also issued during examinations of school students as per instructions in place. Necessary permissions for the use of loudspeakers will be monitored and issued as per permissible levels and zones, she further added.
As per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, It will be ensured that no loudspeaker or public address system shall be used by any person including religious bodies in Temples, Mosques and Gurudwaras without written permission of the authority even during the time. Similarly, the loudspeaker, public address system, musical instrument and sound amplifier shall not be played during nighttime except in auditoriums, conference rooms, community halls, and banquet halls as per norms laid down under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. Further, the loudspeakers or public address systems shall not be used between 10.00 pm to 6.00 am, except between 10.00 pm to 12.00 midnight during any cultural or religious festive occasion of a limited duration not exceeding 15 days in all during a calendar year, that too, the noise level shall not exceed 10 dB(A) above the ambient noise standards for the area. No loudspeakers shall be permitted 15 days before the annual examinations and during the course of examinations, she further added.
The peripheral noise level of a privately owned sound system or a sound-producing instrument shall not, at the boundary of the private place, exceed by more than 5dB (A).
The local level teams formed shall keep on visiting and monitoring the public places, private places, auditoriums, conference rooms, community halls, banquet halls, temples, mosques and Gurudwaras to ensure due compliance with the Rules.
Besides, the district police ensure that no horn shall be blown in the silence zone or during the night time between 10.00 pm to 06.00 am in residential areas. No sound-emitting construction equipment shall be used or operated during the night time between 10.00 pm to 6:00 am in residential areas or silence zones. It should also be ensured that motorcycles are duly fitted with silencers to avoid noise Pollution and menace. The pressure horns are banned throughout the state. The violators of the rules are penalised under rule 6 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.