Bombay High Court to Hear Ganesh Festival Noise-Pollution PIL on October 5

The Bombay High Court will examine allegations that its 2016 noise-control directions remain poorly implemented during major religious festivals in Maharashtra.

What the PIL alleges

The petition says friction has developed between festival mandals and civil groups over high-decibel sound systems during Ganesh Chaturthi, particularly in Pune. It alleges that the State machinery created after the 2016 judgment has not ensured continuous and effective compliance.

The PIL points to shortages or inadequate deployment of calibrated sound-level meters, weak monitoring across residential, commercial, industrial and silence zones, and inconsistent enforcement of the Noise Pollution Rules.

Earlier directions relied upon

The petition relies on the Bombay High Court's 2016 judgment in Mahesh Vijay Bedekar v. State of Maharashtra, which dealt with prevention, monitoring and abatement of noise pollution during festivals.

It also highlights the requirement that authorities act on noise complaints in accordance with law and protect the identity of complainants.

Next step

Senior Advocate Anil Sakhare mentioned the matter before the Division Bench and sought urgent hearing. The Court agreed to list the PIL on October 5.

Case: Akshay Gautamrao Bikkad v. State of Maharashtra

Bench: Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna

Source: Read source report