Two arrested in Varanasi for noise pollution

By Nabeel A. Khan

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): In the first such case in this ancient city, two people have been arrested for causing noise pollution.

This comes four years after the Supreme Court imposed strict norms on noise levels. Police admit they have been indifferent to the problem so far.

Anil Kumar, the police officer at Chet Ganj police station who filed the case, said on Thursday: "We received a complaint on Tuesday from people in the Ram Katora area at around 11.30 pm through SMS and a phone call about DJs.

"So I went to the spot and asked them to stop DJing, but they did not stop, resulting in the arrest of two people and the seizure of the loudspeaker and other instruments."
Bharat Kumar and Ashish, who were DJs at a wedding party, were arrested and released on bail the next day, police said.

Under Supreme Court directives dated 2005, after 10 pm no instrument or device that causes noise pollution can be allowed. Even before 10 pm, music or any other instrument should be used in a manner that if two people are talking in a nearby area they should not be disturbed.
To a great extent, the case in Varanasi was a result of sustained campaigning against noise pollution.

"I had filed a request under Right to Information (RTI) rules Oct 20 and asked whether any case was ever registered in the city over violation of noise pollution, but I was surprised when I got the reply in the negative November 12," said Chetan Upadhyaya, secretary of the NGO Satya Foundation.

Police officials admit "it was after a continuous campaign by Satya Foundation that we came to notice the provision of law and punishment for the noise pollution".

"On Nov 24, I had requested the director general of police (DGP) and the principal secretary, home, to inspect noise pollution in the state which is causing a law and order problem," Upadhyaya said.

"The DGP admitted that police were not so serious about the noise pollution problem and remained indifferent. He said the issue was alarming and needs to be taken up seriously," he said.

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