BENGALURU: The Basavanagudi police in Bengaluru have issued notices to 11 places of worship, including the famous Dodda Ganapathi Temple, warning them of cases if they violate noise pollution norms.
Notices have been sent to Minto Anjaneya Temple at Kalasipalya, Karanji Anjaneya Temple and Dodda Basavanna Temple. A church, a masjid, a Jain temple and wedding halls too have been included in the list. A police officer said they have taken suo motu action. “The police can issue notices 60 days prior to taking action. We have not done anything outside our jurisdiction, and these are warning notices. No one has complained,” the officer said.
The police notice, a copy of which is available with TNIE, states that under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control rules 2020) and Environment Protection Act 1986, 75 DB is allowed during the day and 70 DB at night in industrial areas. For commercial areas, it is 65 DB (day) and 55 DB (night), for residential areas, it is 55 DB (day) and 45 DB (night) and for silent zones, it is 50 DB (day) and 40 DB (night). As per the notice, the day is specified as from 6 am to 10 pm and night from 10 pm to 6 am.
Last year, the Karnataka State Board of Wakf had prohibited the use of loudspeakers between 10 pm and 6 am during azaan for all mosques and dargahs in the state. The board had taken the decision to ban the use of loudspeakers to prevent noise pollution.