Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday assured the House of all possible measures to check noise pollution, including strict action against the violators.
Noise pollution had been adversely impacting the quality of life of all sections of society, especially the students preparing for their exams, Captain Amarinder Singh pointed out while responding to a call attention notice raised by AAP MLA Aman Arora in the Vidhan Sabha.Reiterating his government's commitment to provide students with a congenial environment to study, the Chief Minister assured of strict action against those violating pollution norms through use of loud speakers, DJ and other musical instruments, especially before and during examination days of the studentsListing the steps already taken by his government to address this problem efficaciously, the Chief Minister pointed out that the state government, in exercise of the powers under The Noise Pollution (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000 issued by Government of India and in accordance with the provision of the Punjab Instruments (Control of Noise) Act, 1956, had issued comprehensive guidelines for the regulation of noise and sound pollution caused by use of loudspeakers and public address systems.The district police and civil administration, officers of Pollution Control Board and officers of Department of Local Government had also been directed to ensure strict implementation of these noise and pollution control guidelines, Captain Amarinder Singh further said.
The State Government has already directed the Deputy Commissioners to pass an appropriate order regarding the control of noise pollution generated due to the use of loudspeakers in Gurdwaras/Temples, and also due to the use of DJ system in the marriage palaces. It has also issued the necessary directions to the Sub-Divisional Magistrates to hold meetings at tehsil level, block level, village level with the committee members of all religious places and marriage palace owners to apprise them about the noise pollution generated due to use of loud speakers in these places. The SDMs have been asked to work out a mechanism to ensure the use of loud speakers in such a manner that the noise levels are not in excess of the prescribed parameters.Punjab Pollution Control Board, vide letter No.39819-40/39793-95/39797-818 dated October 7, 2011, vide letter No.39909-30 dated October 30, 2015 and vide letter No.3422-24 dated February 1, 2018, had requested all Deputy Commissioners, Police Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police of the State to take action as per law to control noise pollution caused by loud speakers, especially in view of examination of the students and to ensure that noise level from loud speakers of religious places and marriage palaces remain within the prescribed limits.The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee (SGPC) and Sri Akal Takhat Sahib had also asked all the Managers of Gurdwaras to keep the sound of speakers within the premises of Gurdwara Sahiban.