Activist Sumaira Abdulali says that she found that the highest noise levels on the seventh day of immersion (Thursday) were recorded at Worli flyover, and that too in the presence of cops
Anti-noise pollution activists are irked that they have not seen Mumbai police officers take down noise level readings, or direct revellers to lower the din during visarjan. Earlier, they had found that noise levels on the first of day of Ganesh immersions were higher than those recorded on the last day of immersions in 2016.
Activist Sumaira Abdulali says that she found that the highest noise levels on the seventh day of immersion (Thursday) were recorded at Worli flyover, and that too in the presence of cops. She measured them at 111.5dB.
"I did not come across any cops recording noise levels on the second day as well as the seventh day," says the convenor of Awaaz Foundation, "This is surprising as they are supposed to be recording them and if found high, they should ask revellers to lower volumes."
However DCP (Operations) Rashmi Karandikar, refuted the claims, saying that they had been taking readings and will send them to the court.
Abdulali also found that at many processions, participants would stop playing instruments the minute the caught sight of the decibel meter. At some processions, she saw participants hammer a sheet of metal or metal bell just to create noise. There were also reports of animals such as horses and bullock being used, as well as noisy firecrackers.
On Thursday, Abdulali measured 109.2dB at around 8.22 pm at Koliwada, 110.7dB near Shiv Sena Bhavan, and 108dB at Tardeo. At 11:31 pm, noise levels near Hinduja Hospital reached 107dB.
The noise levels at several other locations were found to be well above 100dB. As per norms, noise levels in a residential zone cannot be above 55 dB during the day and 45 dB after 10 pm.
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