Cuttack, June 12: Police will take action against band parties using amplifiers and speakers as well as DJs if they haven't installed sound limiters.
"We have already instructed all police stations to put curbs on bands that violate sound pollution norms. We are intensifying the drive to restrict sound emission levels to 65 decibels," deputy commissioner of police Sanjeev Arora told The Telegraph.
The move comes after noise pollution as a result of loud music played by band parties during processions came up for discussion at the last monthly meeting of the high court-constituted Traffic Management Committee for Cuttack.
In 2010, the police had issued an order for "regulation of band and music parties in marriage processions etc" after the state home department directed it to ensure that all band and music parties using amplifiers installed pre-fixed sound limiters to restrict the sound level to the permissible 65-decibel limit. The directive was issued in pursuance of an Orissa High Court order.
The issue was taken up following complaints about band parties playing music without following the decibel rule during baraats and processions.
"There have been concerns about unrestrained use of DJs and multi-sound systems without sound limiters by band parties despite a ban on them by Orissa High Court," said Pravat Ranjan Dash, an advocate and member of the traffic committee.
On March 27, 2008, the high court had banned processions with band parties without sound limiters and fixed the sound level limit at 65 decibels, both in residential and commercial areas. It had also banned band parties after 10pm.
While issuing an order on a PIL on noise pollution caused by loud music by band parties, the court said it expected the police administration to "control, monitor, regulate and check" adherence to the sound level limit.
Police commissioner Y.B. Khurania, who heads the committee, has directed all inspectors in-charge of police stations to strictly enforce the noise pollution norms.
The committee has also received complaints over traffic congestion caused by wedding processions.
Responding to them, Cuttack police is considering a revival of the prohibition on wedding processions on specific stretches of main roads.
