Noise Pollution in religious places: Karnataka High Court appalled at DCP suggestion that Noise Pollution Rules should be "revisited"

Observing that action is not being taken against places of worship using loudspeakers in violation of the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday castigated the State government for "letting off" violators..After perusing an affidavit, a Division Bench of Chief Justices Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj observed that the State government did not even enquire whether the loudspeakers were being used with or without permission.“We have perused chart at annexure chart 2. Even basic enquiry whether loudspeakers were used without permission under the Noise Pollution Rules has not been made even though complaints were received regarding illegal use of loudspeakers by religious places. R2 indicates that even decibel levels were not taken by police. The action report taken show that persons had accepted illegal use of loudspeakers against Noise Pollution rules but were let off without registering offence punishable under section 15 of Environment Protection Act.".Karnataka High Court directs action against illegal use of loudspeakers, amplifiers at religious places in violation of Noise Pollution Rules.The Deputy Commissioner of Police has found nothing wrong with the failure of the police to take action, the Court further noted.This apart, the Court was appalled to note that the Deputy Commissioner of Police had suggested in his affidavit that that Noise Pollution Regulations, 2000 should be “revisited”."What is shocking is that in annexure R3, Deputy Commissioner of Police, has said that Noise Pollution Rules, 2000 need to be revisited. His contention is based on Annexure R3A that in many religious places loudspeakers are illegally used and the decibel levels prescribed has already exceeded due to traffic.”However, the Court observed that these decibel readings were taken during daytime, when there is a lot of traffic..The Court proceeded to direct counsel for the State to supply copies of the petition, the Court's orders and affidavit of the Deputy Commissioner of Police to the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru.The Commissioner has been directed to consider all aspects and to file a personal affidavit explaining the conduct of the police in not registering cases, as well as the conduct of the Deputy Commissioner.“The question is when police are under obligation to implement Noise Pollution Rules, instead of implementing, whether the police can say that the Rules need to be relooked," the Court went on to query.The Commissioner was further directed to inform the Court whether the police had sufficient number of decibel meters and whether training was provided to police officers to check decibel readings.The affidavit shall be placed on record by July 1, and the matter shall be listed for next hearing on July 2, the Court directed..The Bench made these observations while hearing a plea seeking action against illegal usage of amplifiers and loudspeakers in religious places in violation of the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000..Issue directions to curb noise pollution in religious places: Karnataka High Court to State government.When the matter was taken for hearing, the Court orally observed that,“These are places of religion and you don’t want to take action. That is the intention, it is very clear.”Further the Court said,“Your (State government) officers have taken a nice approach. You will not take penal action but issue guidelines…You have not even taken readings.”