Punekars March To PMC, Demand Ban On Loud DJs: 'We Are Not Against Ganeshotsav'

· Free Press Journal

Pune: Days after citizen activist Vidyanand Bapat was assaulted while speaking against high-decibel DJs during festivals, Punekars on Sunday marched from Balgandharva Chowk to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), demanding strict action against excessive noise and a complete ban on DJ systems during religious and public celebrations.

The protest, organised under the banner of the ‘Loudspeaker-Virodhi Punekar Manch’, marked a further escalation of the campaign that Bapat had helped bring to the centre of Pune’s Ganeshotsav debate. Bapat first raised objections to DJs, loudspeakers and high-decibel sound systems at a PMC meeting on August 24. He was subsequently assaulted on September 3 while speaking to the media, with a man slapping him in an incident that was captured on camera.

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Protesters asked why Pune should not follow cities such as Nagpur and Solapur in restricting high-decibel sound. They demanded that noise regulations be enforced uniformly during all religious festivals and processions, rather than targeting any particular community or festival. The demands included restrictions on DJs, loudspeakers, plasma and pressure-mid systems, excessive bass systems and other equipment capable of producing high-decibel sound.

Pratham Singwhal, a protester, said, “We are not against Ganeshotsav or any religion. Our demand is simple: festivals should be celebrated, but not at the cost of the health, sleep and peace of residents. The same rules must apply to every religious and political procession, without exception.”

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Kunal More, another protestor, said the government should move beyond issuing advisories and take preventive action. “Authorities know which sound systems are being used and where they are installed. Instead of waiting for citizens to complain after the noise begins, police and civic officials should inspect the systems beforehand and stop violations immediately,” said More.

Shruti Pandit, an MBBS student, said, “Continuous exposure to extremely loud sound can affect hearing and cause headaches, sleep disturbance, stress and discomfort, particularly among senior citizens, children and people with existing health problems. We are asking for a peaceful festival, not an end to festivals.”

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The protesters also condemned the assault on Bapat, saying disagreement over his views could not justify violence. “The attack on Bapat has made this more than a noise issue. Citizens should be able to raise legitimate concerns without being threatened or assaulted,” said Gaurav Jadhav, a protestor.

Advocate Sujata Kulkarni, who also participated in the protest, said the demand for enforcement had a legal basis, but a blanket prohibition would require appropriate government orders. “The law already regulates noise levels and the use of loudspeakers. Under the Noise Pollution Rules, permissible limits differ according to the nature of the area, while the normal night-time period is from 10pm to 6am. The Supreme Court has repeatedly stressed effective enforcement. Therefore, citizens can demand strict implementation, monitoring and action against violations; any blanket ban, however, must be based on a valid statutory or administrative order,” Kulkarni said.

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