Why no action against organisers responsible for noise pollution? HC asks Police Commissioner
The bench also directed the commissioner to explain what action should be taken against officers who failed to act against violators (Representational Image, Courtesy: NewsX)
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday rapped the police department for inaction over rampant violation of noise pollution norms in the city and directed the Mumbai Police Commissioner to file an affidavit explaining the reason for it.
A bench of Justices A S Oka and A S Gadkari also directed the commissioner to explain in the affidavit the action that he proposes to take against those officers, who failed to act against the violators in the past, despite an existing HC order mandating that action be taken against such people.
The court was hearing public interest litigation filed by Awaaz Foundation about the violation of noise pollution norms.
Earlier, the police had filed two affidavits in compliance with a previous HC order over violations at Girgaum Chowpatty during the immersion of Ganesh idols in September, and in Khar during Eid celebrations in November.
In the first case, the affidavit filed by IPS officer Manjunath Shinge informed that local police received 22 complaints in Girgaon, most of which were tended to by officials.
However, some mandals associated with political parties had continued to use loudspeakers and violate noise norms even beyond midnight.
In case of noise pollution in Khar, the police said in the affidavit that officials had refrained from taking any strict action, such as confiscating the loudspeakers or music systems, as they anticipated “law and order” problems.
The bench expressed surprise over the police’s admission of helplessness.
“How can the police express helplessness? It seems apparent that the officer has simply filed the affidavits without giving any reasons for inaction. Why were the violators not booked after complaints were received? We want the police commissioner to explain this,” the bench said.
“He shall personally file an affidavit not just giving an explanation but, also informing this court if the action he proposes to take against its own officers who failed to take action,” it said.
The bench has directed the commissioner to file the affidavit by March 2.
