State finallly moves on Noise Pollution Rules

State finallly moves on Noise Pollution Rules
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

SEPTEMBER 21: The state government has finally appointed a competent authority to look into complains from the public regarding noise pollution. The police commissioner and the district superintendent of police are the designated authorities who will act on the complains, check violations of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, and monitor the situation.

It took the government seven months to find the time and the competent authorities for the task.

The Bombay High Court had ordered the state government to appoint the authorities to enforce the rules in February 2000. To complain about noise that persistents even after 10 pm, citizens can now telephone the police control on 103 or 2633333 in Mumbai to register complaints. They are not required to leave their name, address or phone number. The control will alert the local police station, which will take action against offenders.

However, at the ground level, the idea is yet to sink in among the local police stations, which ignore most calls especially during festivals. Most of them are not even sure of the night deadline and think it is 11.30 pm as allowed by the state government during Ganapati against the prescribed 10 pm laid down by the Environment Protection Act, 1986. (EPA)

Says Dr P N Rao of the Anti-Noise Pollution Committee, ``Appointing the Maharshtra Pollution Control Board would have been the ideal thing to do but now one can say that the police are responsible for making sure the EPA is not violated.'' Rao is sceptical about the appointment making any immediately perceptible change but Navratri is round the corner and the only way to check the efficacy of the system is to use it.