CUTTACK: Blaring DJ music continues to create nuisance during immersion processions and special occasions in Cuttack, even as law enforcement agencies show a lackadaisical attitude towards curbing the menace.
Be it a wedding procession or immersion ceremony, blinding disco lights paired with vibrations from loud DJ music continue to disturb people and animals alike, while the ban seems to exist just on pen and paper.
The menace is more widespread in the rural areas in comparison to the city, with police failing to act tough against the violators. Expressing concern over the issue, some environmental activists pointed out that by deliberately increasing the sound volume, the puja or event organisers are playing with the lives of people.
“Before every occasion, it is clearly mandated to keep sound volumes below 65 decibel, but no one obeys it. As a result, many people, especially the senior citizens, suffer from eardrum rupture or heart attack. Even animals and birds are affected,” they said.
These violations have reportedly also given way to a series of anti-social activities in the last few days. On the night of September 16, an on-duty home guard sustained injuries after a group of youths allegedly assaulted him for stopping them from playing loud DJ music during Lord Ganesh idol immersion procession at Gundara village under Niali police limits.
Similarly on September 26, several persons were injured during a group clash between organisers of two puja committees during idol immersion procession at Harisaranpur under Tigiria police limits.
On being informed, police reached the spot, stopped the procession, seized the DJ-mounted vehicle and registered a case against 50 people from both groups.
On Monday night, loud music was reportedly played during immersion procession of Goddess Khudurukuni in Katikata locality of Nischintakoili, causing inconvenience to local residents. Some locals alleged despite such chaos, no police personnel intervened.
While efforts to elicit response over the issue from Cuttack (rural) SP Vinit Agrawal proved futile, additional SP Pradip Kumar Sahu said enforcement against such violations would be intensified in the coming days.
“Use of DJ sound system, which was once a trend, is gradually decreasing due to restrictions. Enforcement will be intensified to fully eliminate the menace,” he said.