Noise pollution a serious crime, action needed: NGT

NEW DELHI:  The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday said noise pollution is a punishable crime and asked the police to map out hotspots of violations across the city and crackdown on violators. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the Police Commissioner to monitor the implementing officers and report within a month.The green panel said citizens have a Constitutional right to a peaceful environment and adequate preventive and remedial action is needed with regard to rampant noise pollution.

“There has to be strict action of identifying and mapping the hotspots of noise pollution, requiring installation of noise measuring device by the users of noise creating devices having potential of causing high noise level, beyond the prescribed limit,” the bench said.“There has to be a surveillance and monitoring mechanism, coordination with educational institutions and resident welfare associations,” it added.     

The tribunal said putting the onus on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) does not meet the needs of the project. Officers can personally meet CPCB officials and take technical inputs wherever needed, it added.  “Simply writing a letter to them is just avoiding the responsibility. Let the officers now do their duty, take remedial steps and furnish their reports of their efforts,” it said while posting the matter for hearing on July 12.

Merely passing an order that laws should be complied with is not enough for authorities as they also need to take action, the tribunal had earlier said in a case against the use of loudspeakers.The observation came while dealing with a plea alleging illegal use of loudspeakers at mosques was adversely affecting the health of the residents living in their vicinity.(With PTI inputs)