THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move that could ruffle a few feathers, the state police have started issuing notices to places of worship that use loudspeakers beyond the permissible decibel level.
Sources said the police have issued notices to around 250 places of worship to remove such loudspeakers, and warned authorities of legal action if they fail to comply with the norms, as prescribed under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. The police action came after the chief minister’s office received a complaint stating that several places of worship were flouting rules by using high-decibel loudspeakers for religious rituals.
According to sources, the complaint was filed by an activist with the NGO ‘Forum for Prevention of Environmental and Sound Pollution’. The complainant had submitted details of about 280 places of worship that use loudspeakers that create noise beyond the permissible limits. As per the data collected by the NGO, nearly 126 temples, 119 mosques and 41 churches were found using high-decibel loudspeakers.
Several earlier efforts to stop the use of high-decibel loudspeakers in religious places could not achieve the desired result due to the sensitivity involved in the matter.
According to Noise Pollution Rules, the permissible sound level in silence zones — which include areas that fall within 100m of places of worship, courts, hospitals, etc. — are 50 decibels during daytime and 40 decibels during night.
Acting on the complaint, police have directed places of worship to comply with the rules. The notices were issued by station house officers or SIs under section 149 of CrPC. In Thiruvananthapuram, the police have issued notices to a couple of masjids and temples. “The Palayam Jamath has not received any notice so far. But last week, the Vattiyoorkavu Masjid received a notice. The Jamath committee has requested the police to give two weeks for it to hold a meeting and take a decision,” said Harif J, general secretary, Palayam Muslim Jamath.
Have given them 24 hours to comply with directive: Cop
The Thampanoor Masjid, which is under the Muslim Association, too received a notice. According to available information, notices were issued to a masjid and two temples in Vattiyoorkavu. A police officer in Thiruvananthapuram city said notices were issued in the last week of September and the first week of October.
“We had given them 24 hours to comply with the directive or face legal action without any further warning. We are yet to check whether they have complied with our order. We will conduct checking accordingly and suitable action will be taken,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, Law and Order ADGP M R Ajith Kumar claimed he was unaware of such a move from the local police. However, the police move has not gone down well with many. The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking his intervention in the issue.
The letter written by SDPI state president Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulvi said police have been widely serving notices to the mosques in the state against the use of loudspeakers for azaan. “The government has the responsibility to protect the rights of all religious communities without hurting the interests of the public. The government should take a suitable stand on the issue and put an end to the police’s provocative approach,” he stated in the letter.
Legal action
Police have warned authorities of legal action if they fail to comply with the norms, as prescribed under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules